


Embrace me, Love. It's been a long day.

by Cleopatra (empressofthelight)



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: 31 aus, AU-gust 2020, Alternate Universe, Dimension Travel, M/M, Multi, YGO Collab Love, everyone's going to need even more therapy after this, how to deal with feelings in ridiculous ways, how to not deal with feelings in even more outlandish ways, love across dimensions, post dsod
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:07:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 78,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25635544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empressofthelight/pseuds/Cleopatra
Summary: Atem is gone, back to the Afterlife when the Ceremonial Duel was complete. A piece of Yuugi's heart went with him. Kaiba, with all his genius and all his tech, has found a way to use the Quantum Cube to claim the victory he was denied. Per a reluctant deal, Kaiba brings Yuugi along. All the bravado in the world couldn't prepare Yuugi for that final goodbye, and with shaky hands, he broke their world completely.Now, Kaiba and Yuugi must find a way back home before they're trapped in a twisted forsaken dimension, or worse, allow all the bittersweet 'could have beens' to destroy them from the inside out.
Relationships: Kaiba Seto/Mutou Yuugi, Kaiba Seto/Mutou Yuugi/Yami Yuugi | Atem, Kaiba Seto/Yami Yuugi | Atem, Mutou Yuugi/Yami Yuugi | Atem
Comments: 26
Kudos: 23
Collections: AUgust 2020





	1. Sands of Time

**Author's Note:**

> If you're thinking 'Why isn't Cleopatra working on the third part of 'Don't do this all the time, huh?'' (like I sure am), just know that I am in fact still working on it. XD Hang in there! Thanks to the AMAZING writers in our YGO Collab Love server on discord, several of us have taken on the AU-gust challenge; write an AU fic for each day in August. Myself, as well as Bewdofchaos, auroraxborealis, and Life-0r-Death have taken on the added challenge of writing one fic with 31 different au's inside it. I implore you to check out their fics as well as all the other glorious AUs coming over the next month or so.
> 
> This fic is dedicated to my eternal and unconditional love of AUs.

Crossing the scorching desert, Kaiba ignored the bits of dark matter floating off of him. It held little consequence. Merely a ticking reminder, like watching the sand of an hourglass sift through, that this dimension would only allow him so much time. Time he grew increasingly perturbed about being wasted.

Yuugi drug his feet trailing through the sands behind him. The one reaction he didn’t expect. He glanced over his shoulder, scowling at his small steps and down cast eyes, brows knit so tight together it couldn’t solely be caused by the sand filled wind whipping around them. It wasn’t his idea to bring him and every step solidified that he shouldn’t have agreed to it in the first place.

But he needed a rematch and Atem wouldn’t let it go. 

This was the conditions he’d agreed to, for better or worse. He’d wasted enough time analyzing his memories of the last 3 duels since he’d acquired the quantum cube and was able to travel here. Atem’s strategies and decisions were different than he remembered before, whether from time in this wasteland or something else, he still didn’t know, nor did it really matter. He’d defeat him this time.

The city of Waset peeked up over the heat distorted horizon. It still didn’t impress him. What could possibly be impressive about a bunch of stacked rocks with paint on them? What could possibly be impressive about people who’s version of ‘heaven’ was to work every day doing the same thing they’d done in their lives before? He’d never be satisfied here, staying one place. Why did they settle for that?

“You loved him more than me.”

It was so soft, hardly audible in the wind. Had he heard him right? Who was he talking to? He debated whether to ask or ignore it and keep going. Yuugi was clearly thinking hard about something considering how strange he acted, but his petty problems didn’t involve him. It wasn’t necessary to entertain it.

“This was a mistake.”

He stopped, his heel sinking into the sand as he turned. “What?”

Yuugi looked up at him, brows still too tight together, scowling at him with watery eyes. “I need to go home. I shouldn’t be here.”

“We’re not leaving until I get my rematch. I don’t know what your problem is and I don’t care. Deal with it.”

He turned back forward and took a step into the loose sand. Didn’t he listen to a damn thing he said when he explained all of this? Time. They didn’t have the time. He took another step his body going ridged when he heard the sound of Yuugi’s duel disk start up. He had to be out of his mind. 

“I can’t go in there. I need to go back.”

“I only have time for one duel and I can’t do that unless I bring you in. You’re going whether you like it or not.”

Walking towards the heat distorted city, he heard more from Yuugi’s duel disk. Why did he give him that? Screwing his eyes closed he turned fully, eyeing Dark Magician Girl. “I refused this duel.”

“I’m refusing to stay here.” Yuugi’s expression finally softened, though he was still unreasonably determined. “I can’t face him Kaiba. Please. Take me home.”

He flicked his gaze to Yuugi’s monster and sighed through his nose. “No.” 

This shouldn’t take long.

He started up his own duel disk, sliding his foot in the sand, when Yuugi shook his arm. His duel disk changed colors as he turned his watery eyes to Dark Magician Girl. “Attack.”

Too dumbfounded to blink, Kaiba watched her raise her staff, dark energy shooting out of it right at him. He slid in the sand, blinded by darkness, strained by the force of it. When the attack ended Dark Magician Girl was gone and Yuugi was a good distance away, running towards the pod. 

He had half a mind to just leave him in the desert and go to the palace himself. If he wanted to sit in a sandstorm for the next few hours, let him. He brought him here. That was the deal or damn close enough. Storming in the opposite direction of Yuugi towards the city, he turned his fury to the dark matter all around him. Yuugi agreed to this. He wanted to come. What the hell changed? He couldn’t have possibly explained this any more clearly. What did he expect?!

They had a limited amount of time. He told him that. He told him why he brought him. He agreed! He spent the last 2 hours explaining all the quirks, ins, and outs of the dimension traveling system before they even stepped into it to make damn sure he didn’t do something stupid and kill them both. If he didn’t have to bring him along, he’d have his rematch and won by now! What was he thinking?

The dark matter floated in the corner of his eye, and a thought occurred to him as he slowed to a stop. Did he explain to Yuugi that they HAD to leave together? Or what would happen if they stayed too long? Doubtful. He never expected this to happen.

Gritting his teeth together and turning around AGAIN, he stormed thought the sand, making a long list of things to do to make Yuugi’s life a living hell for the next month at least for wasting his time like this. The pod came into view, distorted by the heat just like the city, but he didn’t see Yuugi. Not that he was terribly surprised. He was probably sitting inside it. It also meant that he hadn’t left. 

He kept his eyes on it, just in case, still striding towards it. Yuugi could change his mind or do something stupid and the longer it took the more time he had to do either of those things. When he was just a few yards from it, he saw Yuugi sitting in the shadow of the pod on the sand. He should’ve left him there.

Yuugi looked up, blinking in surprise. “Kai- I’m sorry. I just-”

“Save it.” If he wanted to go back so damn bad, fine. Rounding the pod as it opened, he jumped in and immediately began the start up sequence. “Get in.”

Nothing infuriated him more than Yuugi’s dragging his damn feet about that too. He glared at him the whole way to the edge of the pod and that death glare didn’t go away when he got in either. If Yuugi made one more stupid move, his seething ire could light his obnoxiously wild hair on fire so he could actually see over him.

He closed his eyes and took a sharp breath through his nose before turning his attention to the pods controls. 

Maybe he should’ve found a reason to be pissed off at Yuugi when the first left. It would’ve saved him a lot of awkwardness. He didn’t build this to take the whole world with him, just himself. The only place for Yuugi to sit was front of him between the controls and the seat. Of all people that would’ve fit in the small space Yuugi was probably the best to chose, but this was meant for one person not two. The whole way to Aaru Yuugi didn’t move or hardly breathe, staring at the buttons like they were ancient fine china worth 100x more than he was.

Honestly they were.

The pod closed and he double checked that Yuugi was ready before doing anything further. He was stiff and unmoving, just like last time, but it was different. He didn’t linger on the thought. Activating the pod, the cube glowed and it’s glow slowly spread to the rest of the pod as it started its trek through the sand to pick up speed. The first few dunes were just sand and a little turbulence. The following dune was bigger and the turbulence sputtered out the power for a split second. He frowned, eyeing the buttons and the cube but the cube hadn’t stopped or slowed down at all. The pod must need maintenance. 

The golden glow crept up the glass now at his eye level. Without being able to see the sandy horizon, he had to rely on past experience. The incline indicated they were accelerating up the edge of a decent sized dune. This should be the last then they’d be back. The golden glow covered the pod in entirely, top to bottom, about the same time they should be at the top of the dune. 

Yuugi gasped, bolting up straight, and slammed his hand down on his thigh, digging his fingers into him. “Kaiba!”

Next thing he knew Yuugi’d thrown himself back into his chest and pulled him along to the right side of the pod. Long black claws tore through the front of the pod, running along the top and shredding the metal, shattering the glass, but the gold remained. The power flickered and the lights flashed.

The pod stalled and dropped. 

Yuugi was still staring up at the claw marks in the gold. Between his weight and the force of their fall, Kaiba could barely move. They weren’t this high off the ground. What the hell was going on? He reached out to the controls to get a read out on where the hell they were when the thing that attacked them came back to finish the job, lodging it’s claws in the metal and tearing it like paper. It jolted the pod again.

“We’re falling. We need to switch over to fuel.”

“O-okay how do we do that?”

He sighed, annoyed, “You push the button.”

“What button!? There’s a million buttons!”

“Never mind.” He tried to shove Yuugi forward so he could see when the pod shook again. 

They both fell back.

His elbow hit the metal side of the pod, Yuugi’s back slammed into him knocking the air out of his lungs and just when he thought it couldn’t get worse, Yuugi tried to ‘help’ by pushing himself up on Kaiba’s hand… laying right on the cube. 

He couldn’t breathe, couldn't make a sound, and even if he wanted to, even if he could, it wouldn’t have mattered; Gold, light, energy, matter, screams and whisperers erupted from the golden cube encompassing everything.


	2. Dragon King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuugi's the Champion (of something), on a quest to save his Elven Prince boyfriend from the Dragon King. He thinks... He's still a little fuzzy on the details.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fantasy AU for AUgust!

Yuugi groaned and pushed himself up in the sand. His head pounded and a mysterious and thunderous sound made it throb more. Rubbing his head and shielding his eyes from the midday sun, he tried to figure out what happened. 

A couple of blinks and his hands slowly lowered from his head. That thunderous sound wasn’t from the pod crash… it was the ocean. He was on a beach, a small beach near cliffs! The waves crashed into the rocks and cliff side making the most monstrous and powerful sound he’d ever heard. Now that he thought about it, he wasn’t hot either. It was cool. Cold. A quick glance behind him and he saw snow on the tops of the dunes, a thin layer over wispy grass. 

“Kaiba!”

He tried to stand, wincing from the pulsing in his head and sharp pain in his chest. Groaning, he doubled over, steadying himself with his hands on his knees. “These aren’t my clothes,” he breathed to himself, staring down at black armored boots and leather pants. 

The sharp pain grew and he cringed, reaching up to rub his chest, but his fingers touched metal. He squinted, turning his hands over to look at all of him. Yep full suit of light armor much like the fantasy video games he loved. He fiddled with the black metal chest piece till he found the straps holding it on and loosened it so he could pull it out enough to look down at his chest. The instant he did, he gulped and regretted everything. “Oh no!”

The cube… was IN his chest. In his chest! Only half visible and glowing gold. “Oh no. Oh no! Kaiba!” He frantically searched the beach, sliding in the sand.

A large gust from the ocean, blew past him, rustling his hair and forcing him to wrap his arms around himself. This was all his fault.

“Kaiba!”

He walked along the beach, trying to get up on his toes to see over the dunes. Maybe he should just walk up the one. It’d be higher and he’d be able to see better. Not that these boots were helping him out. Why was he on a beach in armor? 

“Hail Champion!” a female voice he’d know anywhere called from the other side of the dune before laughing, “Still alive and kicking. Ha! Just what I like to see!”

“Mai!” He’d never been so relieved and so confused at the same time before in his life and honestly that was saying something. 

He dashed through the sand up the dune, sliding a little but he finally made it. Panting, he looked up. “Mai I’m so- What are you wearing?”

Mai swung her hip out and put her hand just below the fur-lined leather vest she wore, tied with thick leather strips making cross over her breasts. “Clothes?”

“Yeah,” he huffed, darting his eyes away from her so he wouldn’t look directly at her chest hardly covered by the vest with how open it was. ”Sorry stupid question.” 

She laughed throwing her head back and sashayed through the snow towards him. “Never gets old. So Champion, you ready to go?”

“Yeah uh… where are we going?”

She clicked her tongue and gestured vaguely towards a dirt road not covered with the thin blanket of snow. “To save Prince Charming remember? I’m not surprised if you don’t. You fell off that cliff into the ocean. I thought you were dead for a second there.”

He wrinkled his nose. “You don’t sound too heartbroken.”

Laughing, she wrapped her arm over his armored shoulders. “You never cease to amaze me. I’ll believe you’re dead when I see it.”

He smiled following her lead towards the road. He might not know what was going on, but having Mai there with him kept him from freaking out. “So uh… You keep calling me Champion… Champion of what?”

She lifted a brow, smirking. “Your modesty becomes you.”

“I’m not being modest.” He blushed wrinkling his nose again. “I don’t remember.”

“Oh sure.”

“I don’t! I-I have amnesia from falling off the cliff.”

She stopped him and rounded his side. “Don’t remember huh?”

Quick as lighting she pulled the sword from its sheath and attacked him. He couldn’t believe it! But what was most unbelievable was how he somehow brandished a black blade blocking her and throwing her back. She stumbled in the snow and wispy grass, sheathing her sword. “Oh yeah sure. Amnesia. I should kill you.”

“How did I do that?!”

“Keep moving Champion. Your boyfriend’s in danger, remember?”

“Boyfriend?”

“Wow. I’m telling Prince Atem that when we get to the Dragon King’s castle. ‘Sorry your majesty, seems the Champion, the guy who almost died fighting the dragon that kidnapped you, suddenly and mysteriously, got selective amnesia and has no clue who you are, but we were in the neighborhood anyway so we thought we’d stop by.’” She cackled and swished her hair over her shoulder, walking down the dirt road. “The look on his face will be all the reward I’d need for this.”

Atem… If Mai and Atem were here than… maybe… He fumbled around with the sheath of his sword but finally got it back in, glancing up at Mai still walking down the path. He jogged after her adn waited until he fully caught up before licking his chapped lips. “Mai, where’s Kaiba?”

“Kaiba?” He watched her turn, walking backwards with pursed lips. “Maybe you did hit your head.”

“I do have a hell of a headache.”

She smiled turned back to walk forwards again. 

So he existed here, Atem did and Mai did… He wasn’t sure what she meant by ‘boyfriend’. Mai hasn’t lost her love of teasing him even in this place. Watching her walk through the snow reminded him of following Kaiba through the sand, all those feelings came back. Maybe it would be easier to face him in this place. He didn’t give him up here. Here he almost died fighting for him, what he should’ve done before. 

He had to find Kaiba, but first, Atem needed him. Hopefully Kaiba was doing better than him. He had to be around here somewhere right? 

They continued down the path, leaving the beach and following it into a range of mountains. The snow was thicker here, bright white and fluffy. He wished he had furs on. It only got colder. He assumed they’d be going up to the top of the highest mountain top, that’s where dragons were supposed to be, but Mai lead him down the opposite path when it split, going deep into a dark cave, one torch between them to light their way. 

She hadn’t said anything in hours and he was starting to loose interest in the dark plain cave walls. “Shouldn’t we be going up the mountain?”

“Nope.”

“Cool…”

She snickered and waved with the torch, “Alright honey, I’ll humor you. Dragons prefer cold dark places ever since they’ve lost their ability to fly.”

“Really?”

“Yeah something about a curse. Who knows.”

“And the King of dragons… is he a dragon?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. I just know he lives on the other side of this cave.”

“How do you now it’s a he?”

“Champion, I knew I swore my life to you for a reason,” she said with a wink back at him. “For all I know, the dragon king could be a she could also be a giant cat.”

Yuugi laughed following her through the cave, “I see the light up ahead.”

“We should probably dowse this then.” Mai walked over to a puddle, and dropped the torch into it, drawing her sword to replace it. “Stay close.”

They followed the light until they found themselves at the opening to a vast valley filled with snow and ice. Yuugi marveled at the structures below. “Its a city… a city of ice.”

“Don’t be too awed,” she murmured and gestured with her sword. “See that?”

He followed where she was pointing and only awed more. White dragons everywhere… flapping their wings, wrestling with each other in lakes of chopped up ice and water, and nestled in snow drifts. He smiled, looking at all of it, taking it all in. It was so beautiful. “Kaiba would love this.”

Mai snickered, “Ohhh. Boyfriend has unknown competition. Selective amnesia and a man on the side? This is getting good. I have so much admiration for you right now.”

“Focus Mai. How are we going to get through all of that?”

“Walk of course.”

“I was almost killed by a dragon remember?”

“You were almost killed by a dragon with a rider. See any riders?”

“No?”

“Now that I’m mentioning it… I wonder if that was the Dragon King that attacked you.”

“Could be.”

“Come on. Can’t save a royal elven ice sculpture.”

“Elven?”

Mai shook her head, walking towards the ice castle. “Wow, just wow.”

The closer they came to the castle and to the dragons, the more awed Yuugi was. The dragons were graceful and beautiful, enormous and shimmery like pearls. They paid them little to no attention, playing, sleeping and fishing through the ice. The castle wasn’t far now, but a lake of ice blocked them. He glanced up at Mai, thinking of a way around when she walked out onto the ice without a second thought. Okay then. He followed her, hyper aware of the dragons now. He saw them break the ice. If they fell into this, they’d die, but his focus was shifted when he saw something move beneath his feet. He stopped, gasping at a white dragon swimming after a school of fish beneath him. “Wow.”

Mai either ignored him or didn’t hear him, still making a beeline for the castle. He tried not to slip and caught up with her at the edge of the lake. A path of blocked ice snaked its way towards the castle just a few feet ahead. Convenient. What was the purpose of all of this? Did other people live here? Dragons don’t need paths or castles for that matter. They kept walking, following the ice block path to the castle gates. 

Then the dragons took notice of them. 

They didn’t move, didn’t attack, but their eyes stuck to them every move they made walking through the castle gates towards the towering double doors. Yuugi was so surprised they actually opened, he jumped, feeling just a little better when Mai stepped back as well. “This feels like a trap,” she whispered over her shoulder.

He had to agree. 

“Keep your guard up, Champion.”

He nodded curtly, drawing his sword and following her, trying to keep his eyes everywhere. This. This feeling like someone was guiding him where to look and how to move was the strangest thing he’d ever felt… almost like… 

“You’re mad!”

“I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about or where the fuck this is. I’ve told you that 10 times now. Get it through your head!”

The guiding feeling was still there, practically screaming at him to not do what he was definitely doing, and Mai’s shouts doubled that. He didn’t care. Atem was in the safest place in this entire world right now. “Kaiba!”

He ran as fast as his legs and the ice would allow him, bolting through the halls and past the skeptical dragons until he reached a large room with ceilings so high he couldn’t make out the designs on them. An icy thrown sat precariously at the top of stairs; Atem standing at one side Kaiba at the other. They looked different, just like him and his armor. Atem was an Elven Prince alright: pointed ears, a shimmer to his skin just like the dragons, beautiful gold and emerald robes, woven golden crown of ivy, the works. And Kaiba was a Dragon king; white dragon scales along his neck and the side of his face, white armor similar to Yuugi’s and the most dramatic, over the top, silver crown with pearls and blue jewels in it he’d ever seen in his life. They both turned to him in unison, surprised for just a moment before Atem moved, running towards him down the icy stairs. “Yuugi! _Vet mosrva mit!_ You’re alive!”

“Yeah well I uh-” 

Atem leapt at him, wrapping his arms around his neck and kissed him. He was so surprised he stumbled back, having to hold on to him to keep them both steady, too embarrassed, shocked, and confused to react. So Mai wasn’t messing with him. In this world him and Atem were…

Even though he was stiff as a board and unresponsive, Atem didn’t seem to notice, moving back with a genuine loving smile and stepping to the side. It took Yuugi a second to realize this should be this huge battle, but it wasn’t going to turn out that way. Kaiba wasn’t from this world. Turning to Mai, still ready to kill anything that moved, he smiled. “Mai you can relax.”

She looked at him like he was the Dragon King. 

“Kaiba’s not going to do anything.”

Kaiba snarled, “How do you know that?”

Sighing, he glanced at Kaiba, still at the top of the stairs, arms crossed over his chest, and scowling at him; 10x madder than he was when he asked him to take him home. “Kaiba I’m so-”

“Save it. How the hell do we get out of here?”

That’s not what he wanted to hear. Sighing, he started to walk towards him. “I don’t know, but I have-”

Atem pulled on his hand keeping him from taking another step. “Yuugi, what are you doing?”

“Its okay, Atem. He’s not who you think he is.” He squeezed his hand and looked away. “I’m not either.”

Atem stared into his eyes and tilted his head. Apparently it wasn’t just his pointed ears that were different. His eyes looked like etched rubies and they twinkled searching his face. “You’re not…” he smiled, still loving and genuine, then looked up at Kaiba. 

“What are you talking about?” Mai shouted, pointing the sword at Kaiba. “He kidnapped you and almost killed Yuugi.”

“Not him… exactly,” Atem said, studying Kaiba then turned his attention back to Yuugi. “You don’t remember anything from here either, do you?”

Yuugi smiled and lifted his shoulders. “Nope.”

Mai huffed, glaring at Kaiba then him. “So what are we going to do?”

“Leave,” Kaiba scoffed, stomping down the stairs. 

Yuugi fiddled with the gloves on his hands watching him storm past them. “Can we just leave?”

“Why not?” As Kaiba said that, a dragon walked up blocking his exit. “What do you want?!” he snarled and the dragon tilted it’s head cooing at him. 

Yuugi blinked, watching all the tension melt out of him. He patted it on the head and walked right past it, but the dragon continued to follow him, almost like it was worried about him. Mai humphed, but didn’t sheath her sword. “Alright… Guess we’re just walking out of here.”

“Looks like it.” Atem said wrapping his hand in Yuugi’s. “Lead the way, _Vet mosvra mit._ ”

He blushed, nodding and scratching the back of his neck with his free hand. He stole a glance at their hands before forcing himself to look straight ahead. It wasn’t like he’d never held Atem’s hand before, but in this place, it meant something completely different. He loved Atem, those feelings hadn’t changed, but Atem didn’t feel like that for him. They shared a body for years. He would’ve known. 

He followed Mai and Kaiba outside of the castle to the frozen lake when he suddenly stopped, scowling at the dragon. “Can you fly us out of here?”

The dragon tilted her head again.

“What the hell do you mean you can’t fly?”

Mai snorted and shook her head. “Wow. Now I’ve seen everything.”

“They can’t fly Kaiba. Something about a curse,” Yuugi tried to explain, getting a derisive snort in response.

“Sure. Curse. You haven’t even tried it, have you?”

The dragon stood up to its full size towering over him, head raised up indignantly. For a good breath, Kaiba and the dragon had a glaring contest. He had to bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing when the dragon grumbled and started to flap it’s wings, as if to prove it’s point. But nothing could contain his laughter when the dragon, still indignantly holding its head high, actually lifted off the ground. His laughter made the dragon glare at him, then it realized it was actually flying and froze, dropping into the ice and shattering it. Kaiba had to back up as icy water splashed everywhere. 

The other dragons, eyes locked on the one climbing out of the ice, tried to fly as well. Kaiba shook his head. At least he wasn’t glaring at everything anymore. The one crawled out of the icy lake and tried to fly again, lifting off the ground with the most delighted cooing roar. Some of the other dragons, who couldn’t get off the ground, huffed and turned away, going back to what they were doing before; unimpressed or jealous. Two other dragons managed to make it off the ground, but even they got too excited and fell into the frozen lake. 

The dragon still flying through the air swooped back down, hovering a little bit away from Kaiba and roared directly at him. The others roared with it, so loud and deafening Yuugi and the others covered their ears. 

Not Kaiba. He continued watching the dragon with a tiny smirk. “I told you.”

“I don’t understand,” Atem murmured, lowering his hands and walking up to the dragon. “They can’t do that. It’s… all the legends said-”

“Legends are just that, legends,” Kaiba spat, eyeing the dragon. “Stop letting others tell you what you can do.”

The dragon nodded in a weird way, dramatically almost like it was gulping up water from the lake. It landed on the lake side near Kaiba, nudging him and almost knocking him over. He pushed it away and gestured towards the horizon. “Well?”

It turned, waddling to stand with its side facing Kaiba, still wiggling it’s body and swishing it’s tail while it stared at him waiting for him to do something. Atem backed up glancing between Kaiba and the dragon with a strange look on his face. He stood beside Yuugi again, and took his hand. Yuugi really wanted to ask him what he was thinking, missing the days when he knew what he’d want to say without needing to hear the words. 

Kaiba scoffed, “I’m not doing that.”

It lowered it’s head.

“You’ll drop me.”

It raised it’s head and growled. 

“Yes you will.”

It side stepped closer and looped its neck around, biting the back of his shirt and pulling him up to sit on it’s back. Then it looked at him, chomping it’s teeth, electricity sparking inside of its mouth like it was chiding him and turned, facing ahead. Yuugi pulled Atem back, giving them plenty of room while the dragon spread it’s wings fully and launched off the ground. 

The other two dragons who managed to fly as well, swam through the lake, climbing out at the shore next to them and did the same thing the other did to Kaiba; wiggling their bodies and staring at them like they were waiting for them to hurry it up. Yuugi laughed, honestly a little excited at the idea of flying on the back of a dragon. True, they just figured out they could get off the ground, but it was still exciting. He climbed on, helping Atem up behind him. Mai muttered a string of curses under breath then sighed, “Alrighty honey. If you drop me, we’ll have problems.”

The dragon huffed and looked away, holding it’s head high. She climbed up on the dragon, holding onto it’s neck for dear life and muttering ‘oh gods’ over and over and over again as both dragons spread their wings and took off like a shot into the air. 

It was exhilarating, terrifying, awe-inspiring and breathtaking both from the view and the speed of the wind whipping past them. He was flying on a dragon! Atem was alive, warm, holding on to him and pointing out the now tiny dragons down below playing in the lake, some still trying to fly. He glanced over at Mai, wanting to point out a baby dragon down below, but Mai had her eyes screwed shut. 

Atem laughed, “This has been… a crazy day.”

Crazy didn’t cover it. “Yeah it has!”

“I’m not sure what is more so, the fact that these beasts are in the air again after 5000 years or that you are seemingly friends with the most feared man of this world.”

“Kaiba? He’s not that bad.”

“He almost killed you.”

Yuugi laughed, “Yeah well… I’m sure he had a reason.”

_ Atem. That was his reason. He wasn’t stupid. _

“The Dragon King thought I could break the curse. According to legend, the blood of my kin can break the curse and make the dragons take to the skys again. Our kingdoms have been at war for the last 5000 years because of that.”

“Really?”

He hummed, nodding and pressing his chin into his chin into the small space between Yuugi’s armor and his neck. “I wonder the implications of this. These dragons shouldn’t be able to fly. Perhaps you both have some magic.”

“No we’re just normal.” He turned in Atem’s arms, catching sight of his unusual eyes and sharp ear through his wild and tussled hair. “As normal as we can be anyway.”

Atem laughed, short and soft, as if his attention was suddenly diverted to something else. All Yuugi could do was watch those shimmering eyes and his ever changing expression until he finally whispered, “Who are you?”

“Just me? I guess. My name’s Yuugi I’m from… another dimension?”

“Dimension?”

“Another world like this one but… completely different.”

“Am I in your world?”

Yuugi bit his bottom lip and looked ahead, watching Kaiba seem to be trying to get the dragon to do a trick in the air. It did it and preened almost knocking Kaiba off it’s back. It quickly recovered and ducked it’s head. He imagined Kaiba was scolding it. Though the dragon looked to proud of itself to take anything he said to heart. 

“Yuugi?”

“You’re someplace a lot better.” 

They soared over the mountain tops along the beach he woke up on in silence. The dragon Kaiba was riding kept getting better and better, the other two watching it with apt attention and mirroring it’s movements. The ocean breeze smelled so wonderful, despite the chill. Atem kept him warm enough. 

“I’m so sorry, _Vet mosrva mit.”_

“Thank you.” He laid his arm over Atem’s and sighed, “So, uh, what does that mean?”

_“Vet mosrva mit?”_

“Yeah.”

“It’s a pet name. I’d have to explain it.”

“Okay.”

Atem snickered. “It means ‘companion of shadow’ in your tongue, at least that’s what you- I mean my Yuugi translated it as. My people have an old folk tale about how we got our shadows. How they protect us and guide us, are always with us. You are mine.”

Yuugi decided to take a chance, a big chance since he could fall off this thing and die, to turn around and face Atem. His eyes glistened in the sunlight, reflecting all the etched surfaces of the rubies. He wondered if Atem saw things different than humans did because of each surface; if he could see more or maybe less. His smile was the same as before, tender and loving and real. 

“That’s how I feel about you.”

His smile changed, sympathy mixed in with everything else, “I’m sure I knew.”

“Yeah maybe… but I don’t.”

His smile vanished. Brows knit together and his head tilted a little. “What a grave mistake to make.” Then his eyes flew open and he gasped. “ _Ervi ta debese nor, vet morsva mit_. I did not mean it that way.”

It took him a second to realize what was going on then he burst into laughter, causing another surprised reaction from Atem. He shook his head. “I know you didn’t.”

Atem didn’t seem convinced and hugged him. He closed his eyes and hugged him back. It reminded him of grandpa and his friends hugging him after Atem left; so tight and full of sorrow and understanding. He wanted to stay here. He made all the right decisions here.

“Are we there yet?!” Mai shouted.

He opened his eyes, turning his head to face her when he realized they were covered by a shadow. Looking up, the guiding feeling inside him kicked in before he could bat an eye. “Mai look out!”

“What?”

The winged shadow above them screeched and swooped down, diving for Mai and her dragon. The dragon looked up and panicked, forgetting how to fly for a moment and dropped. Mai screamed. 

“Hold on!” He spun back around and held onto the base of the dragon’s wings. 

Although their dragon was just as confused and flabbergasted as Mai’s, Kaiba’s was way ahead of both of them, swooping down and roaring at the one falling. Atem gasped, pointing up at the winged shadow. “A Chimera!”

“Good. At least you’ve seen it before,” Yuugi commented, watching it dive for them. 

The dragon looked up and saw it too, panicking for just moment a before diving down. The wind whipped past them loud and roaring, mixed with the waves crashing against the cliffs, but he still heard Kaiba, as they drew closer. “What are you doing?! Fight it…. You just showed me you could! DO IT!”

Their dragon slowed down, wiggling unsteadily and turned, belly up. 

He couldn’t hold on! He tried but the wind and gravity were against him. His hands slipped from it’s wings and he began to fall watching with wide eyes as the white dragon blasted the Chimera in the face with a hundred bolts of electricity. Atem held on to his hand as they fell, watching the battle unfurl above them. Now that the white dragon realized it could do some damage and fly, it decided to cheekily mess with the Chimera as much as it could; teasing it with little shocks and bolts of lightning while flying around it. 

Suddenly Atem’s hand was ripped from his. Mai’s dragon righted itself and tried to save them, Mai grabbed Atem, but the force split them apart. Their horrified faces were all he could see. 

This wasn’t fair. 

He wanted to stay.

Atem loved him here.

He never wanted Atem to feel like this.

This wasn’t fair.

His back hit, the wind knocked out of him, the pain in his chest spreading through him to his fingertips and toes, just like the gold. So much gold, tunneling his vision and blocking out Atem’s face. “No!”


	3. Anderson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba has no clue who 'Anderson' is, but he wants to kill him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 of AUgust2020 College AU

Kaiba groaned, rubbing his eyes and smoothing his hair back. His head pounded, ached and throbbed. If his stomach had anything to say about it, the awful feeling was caused by shotgunning an entire gallon of gasoline. His lungs and throat swore he had a lit match as a chaser. 

He knew this feeling. He was hung over.

Though the room was dark, he felt a sharp pang through his head, looking over at the desk beside the bed. The computer monitor was asleep and the blue light flickered on and off. It cast a haze over the room making it easier to see in the dark. He regretted that not long after he adjusted to it; beer bottles, red plastic cups and who knew what else littered every surface including the floor. 

Closing his eyes, he tried to remember how he got there. He was trying to take Yuugi to see Atem, the pod was destroyed, he ended up in a castle with Atem… then the dragons… Something must’ve happened to make them jump dimensions again. At least he was in a bed this time and not passed out on an icy floor with a dragon licking him to death and panicking. Though looking back on it, he missed that dragon. 

Placing his hand on his bare chest, he felt the edge of the cube still embedded in it. At least that was constant. “Great.”

“Wha?” 

Kaiba locked up, feeling someone lay their head on his shoulder, wrapping their body around him. He wasn’t wearing clothes.  _ She _ wasn’t wearing clothes.

“What time is it?”

He had no clue who she was. He didn’t recognize her voice or her blonde hair. Maybe there was such a thing as miracles. He shoved her off of him and got out of bed as fast as his hangover would allow. Snatching open drawers and knocking over half filled cans and bottles, he searched for clothes. The mess was someone else’s problem; not his. He heard a lighter flick and glanced up.

She leaned back against the headboard smirking at him with a lit cigarette between her fingers. He’d never seen her before in his life. “Why the rush?” she murmured, wiggling her brows at him.

She was someone else’s problem too. 

He pulled on a pair of jeans and grabbed a thick shirt, probably a sweater, before storming out of the room and slamming the door behind him. The hallway was identical to the room he woke up in, covered in trash. It led into a living room, filled with trash and several people passed out on any surface they could. He snorted in disgust and pulled the sweater over his head. Before he could get it on fully a high pitched and eardrum shattering whistle filled the room. He muttered under his breath while everyone groaned. Pulling his sweater the rest of the way on and glaring at the source of the whistle.

Atem stood in the doorway to the kitchen hair loosely pulled back into a bun and no shirt, a silver whistle in his hand, smirking at them all. “Everyone out. Party’s over.”

“What the fuck Sennen? Why’d you do that?”

“You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here, unless you want to clean up.”

Suddenly everyone moved a lot faster, collecting what they thought were their things and filing out of the house. Atem laughed, pocketing the whistle and watching them leave. “Works every time.”

“Sure does.” Kaiba quirked a brow at (who he swore looked a lot like) Noa leaning heavily on Atem’s shoulder. “Hey look who’s awake. How are you feeling sleeping beauty?”

Atem laughed, and shrugged him off. “Leave him alone, Kaiba.”

What?

“Alright alright. How hung over are you, Anderson?”

What the fuck?

He had to find Yuugi and get the hell out of here! 

Atem regarded him with concern, but whoever it was (that he was pretty damn sure was Noa to add to the discomfort of this hell hole universe) cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted, “Earth to Anderson.”

He still didn’t respond. Fuck him, that wasn’t his name. But even if he wanted to respond, the blonde girl from before walked out into the living room, kissed him on the cheek as she went by, and waved. “See you later, Anderson.”

Fuck this place.

He shook his head and turned towards the door. He needed to find Yuugi and he doubted he’d be someplace like this. Why was he someplace like this? The door was right there. He should leave. They wouldn’t notice.

Atem walked up to him shoving his hands in his pockets. “What are you doing?”

“I have an errand I need to run.”

He smirked. “Does that mean you forfeit?”

“Forfeit?”

“Hey guys, Anderson’s for-”

“I never said that!”

“Good.” Kaiba tried to ignore the twinge in his chest from Atem’s triumphant grin. “Come on then. It won’t take long.”

He followed Atem through the kitchen into a gaming room. The other guys in the house apparently cleaned that room first and waited around like something was going to happen. He recognized a few of them: Tristan Taylor, Duke Devlin, and Marik Ishtar. On each player's side of the Foosball table were three shot glasses, two filled with amber liquid, one clear. Noa walked to the middle of the table, staring at him just like everyone else in the room was; waiting for him to do something. All he could do was follow Atem’s lead and take his place at the other side of the table, trying not to make it look too obvious that he had no idea what was going on. 

“You guys ready?”

Atem stood at the other end of the Foosball table with a defiant smirk. “Depends. Is Anderson ready to lose?”

“Heh, in your dreams.”

“Alright! You guys know the rules. Take the shots as fast as you can, and play. You have to complete the shots and set them upright on the table before you can touch the spinners or you're disqualified. First one to 3 points wins. Ready?”

Kaiba eyed the shots with a queasy stomach.

“Set.”

But a quick glance up at Atem, arms crossed over his bare chest with a smirk on his lips and determination in his eyes just like he had when they dueled, washed it away.

“Go!”

He took the shots, thankful the last one was water, and reached for the spinners just in time to stop Atem from scoring. Truthfully, he’d never played this before. He acted on instinct and those instincts turned into calculated maneuvers. Though he was losing at first, by the end of a long game, he won. He won…

Atem laughed, deep and rich, leaning on the edge of the table. “This game is going to kill me.”

Noa laughed louder and wrote a tally mark on a dry erase board off to the side but immediately covered it up before Kaiba could get a look at it. “Anderson and Sennen are officially tied. We only got another week till the new house Captain's decided. Better step-up your game. At this point it could be either of you.”

House Captain?

Everyone got up and began picking up from the party they’d apparently had. Atem sat there staring at the table a little longer before walking around it. “Ready to go?”

His gut reaction was to say yes, get the hell out of there as fast as he could, but the memory of Atem running up to Yuugi and kissing him killed it. What if that happened again? “I’m going alone.”

Atem shook his head, smiling like he’d said a bad joke, and shoved him towards the kitchen. “Come on.”

“You’re not wearing a shirt.”

“It’s on the sofa. It’s hot in here.”

It certainly was now that he had two shots of unknown cheap whiskey. They walked through the kitchen to the living room, ignored by everyone in the house. Atem grabbed his hoodie off the sofa and slipped it on over his head, reaching for the doorknob before he had it pulled down. Kaiba hated himself for watching him that closely. 

They walked down concrete steps to a sidewalk and Atem turned to the right like he knew where they were going. At least someone did. He didn’t say a word to him until they passed the sign for the college. He frowned trying to read it. 

Although the letters weren’t from any language he’d ever seen before, he knew it said:  **West Tech University** . Another curious difference from their dimension. Atem sighed, looking at the sign and put his hands in the pockets of his hoodie. “I’m sorry for being weird last night.”

“You’re weird in general.”

He hummed and softly smiled looking down at the ground. “True. How about sorry for being weirder than normal.”

“That’s impossible.”

Atem snorted and looked up at him. “Just accept my apology.”

“I don’t know what you’re apologizing for.”

“I didn’t know you invited Tara and I didn’t mean to come off weird about it. I drank a little too much and… you know I can’t stand her.”

He didn’t doubt that. “That makes two of us.”

“Very funny. You’ve been after her for the last two years. Oh!” He blinked, like saying it out loud suddenly clicked something. “You meant drank too much.”

“I meant both.”

“Question still stands.”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” he spat, crossing the street to the quad. 

Although it was fall, several banners and fliers plastered around indicated it was the end of second semester. So the Capitan thing was to decide the following year. That made some sort of sense. He tried to spot Yuugi through the crowd of students hanging around the quad, hoping he’d be one of them, but he wasn’t there. Where else would he be? Muttering under his breath, he walked through it to the other side near the cafeteria. Maybe he should check in there. 

“Watch it freshman!”

“Sorry!”

There he was. 

Kaiba spun on his heel and turned his attention to some upperclassman shoving Yuugi into a wall just beyond the cafeteria doors, knocking something onto the ground. Well… at least he knew where he was. The guy that shoved Yuugi did a quick glance in all directions, like he was planning on doing something that he didn’t want to get caught doing when he locked eyes with him. Though Kaiba had never seen him before in his life either, this guy CLEARLY recognized him. “Anderson! I’m going to kill you!” 

Despite the change in his situation, Yuugi hadn’t looked up at all. Instead he crouched down, looking for whatever it was that he dropped. Strange. Maybe that wasn’t actually Yuugi. 

The guy stormed up to him, red in the face and hell bent on something. He had a bad feeling about this. Atem pulled on his sleeve. “Shit that’s Tara’s ex.”

“Of course it is.”

He pulled back to punch him, but Kaiba dodged out of the way, keeping his foot out. It tripped him and he fell face first into the concrete sidewalk. Served him right. He humphed and walked past him, refusing to waste another second of his time. He needed to find Yuugi and he still wasn’t sure that one was actually him. Though, now he realized why he was on the ground searching for something. A pair of thick rimmed black glasses sat upside down on the sidewalk a foot or so away from where he was looking. 

“You son of a-”

“Mr. Loquin-” an stern woman’s voice rang out over them and even he paused to turn and see who it was- “that will be quite enough.”

His gut told him to be concerned, but what could she do? 

“I uh… Yeah. Sorry, Ms. West.”

West? Like the college? Maybe she could do something. She watched ‘Loquin’ and the other guys with him leave, then turned her attention to him. “Don’t forget your essay Friday, Mr. Anderson. You too, Mr. Sennen.”

Atem nodded and forced a smile as she walked away, then blew up his bangs. “You’re lucky.”

“Hardly.”

He walked over to the glasses and picked them up. Yuugi saw him, but he still didn’t look like he knew who he was. “Here.”

Yuugi blinked. “Kaiba?”

He was honestly relieved to hear his own name, just as much as solidifying that he actually found him. Yuugi took them from him and slid them onto his face, adjusting them over his nose. Satisfied with them, he looked up, beaming. “Much better.”

He laughed. He couldn’t help it. Who would consciously pick out glasses like that? “I see why you were shoved into a wall now. You look ridiculous.”

Yuugi pouted and that made it worse. He wanted to shove him into the wall too. 

Atem cleared his throat, his next words forced to sound polite. “Are you going to introduce us?”

He stood up, unsure why he was acting so strange. “This is Yuugi.”

He stood up as well, holding onto the wall. Then smiled, pushing the glasses up his nose. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Atem said flatly. 

Kaiba waited, but apparently Atem wasn’t trying to introduce himself. That was odd too. 

“How do you two know each other?” Atem asked, straight lipped and tense.

How was he supposed to answer that? 

“We’re doing a project together,” Yuugi said. 

“Oh…” He turned to Kaiba, taking a step between them and turning his back to him, like he was shutting out Yuugi’s existence. “You said you had an errand. Don’t we need to be doing that?”

He quirked a brow, completely at a loss. Yuugi was the errand. 

“Oh uh,” Yuugi said, looking up at him. “I didn’t know you were busy. I’ll just talk to you later. We’re working on our project at the library at 8, right?”

Kaiba caught it and nodded, watching him leave. Atem was watching him too, but not in any way friendly. Maybe that apology was necessary. Did he do that the night before too. That girl deserved it, but Yuugi didn’t. “What the hell is your problem?”

“Nothing. You said you had an errand.”

“I was looking for Yuugi.”

Atem pursed his lips and turned, walking back towards the quad. Did Atem actually know Yuugi? Maybe he was mad that Yuugi didn’t say anything to him. That didn’t make sense though. The way he looked at him was more like a threat than hurt feelings. What could possibly be threatening about Yuugi… especially in those dorky glasses?

—

Come 8 oclock, he hadn’t seen Atem. He didn’t go back to the house and he hadn’t called anyone to tell them where he was. He thought about calling, but decided against it. That was also not his problem. His problem was sitting in the library waiting for a nerd with glasses that screamed ‘please punch me’. 10 past Yuugi ran through the library, getting a stern reprimand from the librarian, before sitting across from him at the table. 

His oversized lilac sweater covered his hands only leaving his finger tips visible as he dropped some books on the table. Looking up with a wry smile, Yuugi sighed, “I hate everything.”

“Welcome to the club.”

“How did we get here?”

He thought about it, like he tried to do all day, but it got him nowhere. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

“The last thing I remember was falling.”

“That makes two of us.”

Yuugi sighed, a small smile pulling at his lips. “You’re being super helpful right now.”

“If you did what you said you would, we wouldn’t be here.”

Yuugi’s smile disappeared and he looked down at the table slumping into the seat. “I think I’m being punished enough.”

“That’s debatable.”

“When I woke up, I was alone and couldn’t see. Had to walk along the hall until I could find someone to help me. Ran into Ryou. He helped me find my glasses but then ran off like talking to me would give him the plague. Everyone’s treated me like that. Though I think I’d rather have that then what Atem did.”

Kaiba watched him puff out his cheeks, causing the glasses to slide further down his nose. Pushing them back up, he smiled and laughed pathetically, “I think you’ve been the nicest to me all day.”

He quirked a brow, wondering if Yuugi was right and everyone was being over the top or if he was exaggerating. A quick search of his face and he knew he wasn’t exaggerating. He was barely treading above water as is. “I stand corrected.”

He laughed again, not quite as weak. “How’s your day going?”

“Shitty.”

“I heard you’re pretty popular around here…  _ Anderson _ .” 

He grimaced, glaring at Yuugi’s growing grin. “Funny.”

“Why is everyone calling you that?”

“I have no idea.”

“Have you tried to figure out why?”

“I just want to leave. I don’t give a damn about anyone in this dimension.”

“Sure. That’s why you were walking around with Atem.”

“He wouldn’t drop it.”

Yuugi nodded, looking down at the table again. “He’s different here.”

“No he’s not. I don’t know what that was.”

“Well… Since we’re stuck here till we figure things out, maybe you should figure out what your name means and I need to figure out what my ‘self’ did here to make it so bad. I’m getting tired of it and it’s only been a day.”

“What are you going to do about it?”

Yuugi grinned, and wiggled his eyebrows. “I’m not helpless. This me might be but I’m not. I had Joey show me how to fight, Tea show me how to get under their skin without moving and Tristan to show me how to pick my fights and Atem to show me I can do more than I think I can. They should watch it.”

Kaiba laughed, shaking his head. “I can’t take you seriously with those on.”

“Urgh!” Yuugi giggled and started to stand, then sat back. “That being said, can you please walk me back? I’m tired and don’t want to deal with it tonight. It’s been a long day.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Be the super popular Anderson that everyone’s talking about.” He stood up then gave him a sly grin. “I heard about Tara.”

He rolled his eyes.

“I’m actually surprised. I didn’t know you liked girls.”

“I don’t like anyone.”

“Liar.”

Walking out of the library towards the dorms, Yuugi told him about all the gossip he’d heard. For him complaining about being ignored, he sure heard a lot. Atem was part of a wealthy family in pharmaceuticals, Noa was Gozaburo’s son, the inheritor of Kaiba corporation, graduating in a few weeks. From how Yuugi talked about Noa, he had everything and he was fucking up Kaiba Corporation.  _ His company _ . By now he would’ve thrown the company into better direction than Noa or Gozaburo could dream up. 

It wasn’t his problem, but it still made his skin crawl. 

Tara was actually Tara West, from the family that owned the college. In this dimension, this particular college was the gateway to a life of extravagance and grandeur so tied up in the government’s system for position placement that in order to do anything of importance one must go here. Just getting accepted promised you anything you could want in life going forward. As bitter as he was that Noa was fucking everything up, it seemed ‘Anderson’ had his sights set higher than what even HIS company in their dimension could give him. He gave this dimension's version of himself credit for the ambition, but at the same time, only an idiot would go about it the way that he was. 

House Captain in their fraternity would give him a free pass to open whatever kind of business he wanted, no questions asked. Something that had a lot of restrictions and red tape otherwise (if Yuugi had his understanding of everything correct). Tara would give him an international political network. Sounded like a simple plan, except Tara was, as Yuugi put it, a bitchy, spoiled, manipulative disappointment who was clearly acting out to get attention from a soulless bloodline. She had to pull herself out of that. 

He stopped at Yuugi’s dorm room door, watching him unlock it. When he pushed it open, he smiled at him trying not to yawn. “Thank you  _ Anderson _ ,” he giggled and walked inside.

At least someone found it funny. “Your welcome, four eyes.”

Yuugi laughed louder as he shut the door. 

—

By this point, he knew campus pretty well, and making it back to the frat house wasn’t a big deal. All the lights were on, everyone was busy drinking, playing foosball, working on homework in their rooms or who knew what. He walked down the hall to the room he woke up in, hoping it was his and hoping it was clean. Pushing his door open, he was surprised to find Atem sitting on his bed, frowning at the wall until he walked in. “Is this your room?”

Atem laughed, relaxing a little. “No, I was waiting for you… I wanted to talk to you.”

Kaiba shut the door behind him and walked over to his computer desk, sitting in the chair. 

“How did it go?”

“It went.”

Atem smiled, leaning back against the wall. “I’m sorry you got stuck with him.”

“He’s less annoying than most.”

Atem’s smile faltered and he nodded. “That’s saying something.”

“Where did you run off to?”

“Ms. West reminded me of the essay, I researched it all day.”

Sure he did.

“Anyway I just wanted to make sure you were up to our game Friday. Last one before we name a new Captain.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

Atem looked him dead in the eyes with a lot of concern that didn’t fit the situation. “A lot is going on, I just wan-”

“What’s going on?”

He sighed and muttered something under his breath, sitting up to get off the bed. “Look, if you don’t want to talk, that’s fine.”

Kaiba pinched the bridge of his nose. Why was he being weird and impossible? “Seems like _ you _ have a lot going on.”

Atem paused, sighing a ‘yeah’ before walking out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him. 

Fuck all of this. Maybe if he went to sleep all of it would go away.

—

The sound of bells, a light from his phone on the nightstand, vibrating off the edge, woke him up. He groaned and reached for it on the floor, glancing at the screen. ‘Mom’ in big bold letters at the top made him frown. Mom? 

Answering it, he laid back on the bed, “Yes?”

“Ha! Did I wake you up, honey?”

Wow… “Yes.”

“Sorry, I just wanted to see how you were doing. I know it’s been bothering you that Moki’s not talking to you and you’re worried about losing the Captain position. You’ll get it though! You’re a very driven young man and you make us proud every day.”

He frowned and pulled the phone from his ear. That was a lot. A lot coming from someone who wasn’t there. Did this universe's version of him really talk to her about everything? It didn’t seem like something he’d do, regardless of anything he’d been through. 

“You still there, honey?”

He put the phone back to his ear and decided to follow Yuugi’s suggestion. If he was stuck here, he should know what’s going on. “Why isn’t Mokuba talking to me?”

“Oh, you know. He’s still upset cause you went to college. I’m still upset too, but I’m your mother. It comes with the territory.” She laughed, though he could hear it in her voice that it bothered her. “He’s still little. Thinks he should be reason enough for you to stay home forever and worried you’ll never come back. He’ll understand one day. You have to chase your dreams and sometimes that means being away for a while, but we’re family. We’ll always stick together. Don’t worry, honey. He’ll come around. He just misses you. We all do.”

He laid there staring at the dark nightstand next to his bed feeling like that hit a little too close to home. This wasn’t his life. It shouldn't be anything like his life in his dimension, but this part… it was. Mokuba in his universe wasn’t talking to him either. Having someone tell him they understood wasn’t something he realized he needed to hear. On that same coin, Mokuba didn’t have anyone to explain to him. Just him and… he…

“Oh! And how’s it going with your friend Atem? Have you asked him out yet?”

“I need to go.”

“Sure thing! Good luck today!”

He scowled at the desk, listening to it disconnect. This universe’s version of himself was an idiot.

—

He got dressed and walked down the hall, expecting Atem to be there with everyone. Nope. Nowhere in sight. Luckily it was Sunday, he didn’t have a class till tomorrow. With Atem not there to cause problems, he left to go to Yuugi’s dorm. He should be plenty awake and they could work out some tests on the cube. He pressed his hand to his chest, walking into the freshman dorms. It had to do with this. … Somehow.

He counted the doors to Yuugi’s, then raised a hand to knock when he heard Atem’s voice. Seriously!? He knocked on the door three times, loud enough to ring down the empty hall. More murmurs and whisperers than Yuugi opened the door. He got sleep alright, bright and cheery with those damn glasses sliding down his nose. “Hey Ka- uh,  _ Anderson _ . Want to come in?”

He glanced past him to Atem, just as cheery as Yuugi, getting up from his bed and walking to the door. Squaring his jaw, he scowled down at Yuugi. “No. We have work to do.”

“Okay.” He stepped aside for Atem to pass him, but not before Atem brushed his hand over Yuugi’s back.

“I'll see you both around. It was good talking to you Yuugi. Thank you.”

“Anytime, Atem.”

He made a face then laughed, “Still sounds weird. I’ll see you later Anderson.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at Atem’s shit eating grin, before he turned to walk down the hall. Once Atem was out of sight, he shoved Yuugi into the room and slammed the door. “What the hell was that?”

“I have no idea.”

He didn’t know if he bought it or not and it didn’t matter. Yuugi rushed over to his desk and sat down, pulling some papers out of a file folder. “I wrote down some ideas of how to get back.”

“Out with it.”

“Well-” He pressed his hand to his chest and Kaiba’s eyes widened at the indentation of his sweater- “I hav-”

“It’s in you too?!”

Yuugi blinked and adjusted his glasses. “What?” 

He sat down across from him and pressed on the indention to show him, watching Yuugi take his glasses off, wipe them on his sweater and shove them back on. “How is there two?”

“...I don’t think there are two.” He grit his teeth, running his finger over the edge of the cube. “I think we split it in half when we touched it.”

Yuugi stared at his chest, nose wrinkled, hands still on the edge of the thick glasses and muttered, “…damn.”

He barked out a brief breathy laugh and leaned back. “Can’t you get contacts like normal people?”

“I wish I could. Direct me to an optometrist please.”

He shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. “I think if we want to get back, we have to reconnect it.”

“How are we going to do that? And I hope you aren’t thinking ‘cut it out’ cause no. I’m not doing that.”

“It might be the only way to get back.”

“Then you do it first.”

He hummed, frowning down at the outline of the cube on his chest then let his hand fall to his lap. “There has to be another way. We got here, didn’t we?”

“Yes, but I don’t know how.” He bit his bottom lip, thinking, nose wrinkled. “Maybe we jumped because we saved Atem.”

“A noble and ridiculous thought.”

“It’s possible.”

“Possible and highly unlikely. You were going to die. If anything, you could’ve started it up out of sheer panic.”

“Maybe.”

“So next time someone picks on you, let them.”

He glared over his glasses then turned towards the computer. “Why don’t you be the one almost dead this time.”

“Hmm.”

“I say,” Yuugi titled his head and put his hands together, “to keep us from not cutting things out of our bodies or half killing ourselves, we should try it my way.”

“And your way is?”

“Go with it till we jump again.”

“I hate that plan.”

“Yeah well, I hate dying and getting dissected more.”

He muttered under his breath and stood up, crossing the room to the door. “Fine.”

—

“What are you doing?”

He glanced up at Yuugi across from him in his room, then back down to his notebook. It was Wednesday and they still hadn’t figured out how to get out of this place. To add to his frustration, Atem continued to visit Yuugi before he’d make it over and leave with a smug grin. At least he didn’t have to deal with it today. Yuugi came over. “Fixing this idiot’s problems.”

He giggled and straightened his legs, tapping his shoes together. “Why do you care?”

“I’m bored.”

He nodded, smiling down at his shoes. “I told Atem you weren’t seeing Tara anymore.”

He glanced back up then back down. 

“He’ll probably start talking to you again.”

“I don’t think she was the problem.”

“Me neither. Although he seemed really relieved.”

“Probably because he isn’t as much of an idiot as ‘Anderson’ is.”

He giggled, reaching for his coffee mug on the desk and sitting back cradling it in his hands. “I wonder if University is going to be like this when we get back. I’m actually looking forward to it now.”

“I thought you hated it here?”

“I do, but I love the classes. I’m going for gaming design here too. It’s very different, and it’s giving me a lot of ideas.”

Kaiba glanced up, back down and wrote on his ‘10 year plan’ sheet: Hire Yuugi Mutou.

“On a positive note, I finally got Ryou to talk to me and I’m hanging out with him and Tristan tomorrow. So it’s not as bad as it was.”

He ignored his attempt at small talk and looked over the sheet, scrutinizing the alterations. The original plan wasn’t bad just… well it was bad, but not unsalvageable. He needed to focus on that, although he had to agree with Yuugi about the classes. They were far more engaging than any he could’ve taken in their dimension.

“Atem told me he’s still not sure what he wants to do. He’s still Undecided.”

“I take it back, he is an idiot.”

“I’m really not sure why he’s in this fraternity.”

Kaiba humphed.

There was a long pause and he assumed Yuugi went back to his homework, when he hummed, “Have you still not talked to Mokuba?”

He set the papers down, glaring at him. How would he know about that? “What do you mean?”

“Atem said Mokuba wasn’t talking to you.”

Oh, he meant here. “No.”

“Well if you want I-”

There was a soft knock at his door, and he relished the out from whatever it was Yuugi might have said. “What?”

It opened and Atem leaned into the room. “Oh. Hello Yuugi.”

“Hey!”

“It’s dinner time, are either of you hungry?”

Yuugi set all of his things down and looked at him as he stood. “I’m starving, but even if I wasn’t I’m tired of staring at this.”

Atem chuckled and opened the door wider for him, turning his gaze to Kaiba. “Are you coming too?”

“All that’s in there is beer.”

He laughed and leaned back on the door so Yuugi could walk past him. “We’re not eating here.”

He realized, waiting for Atem to tell him where they were going that he had no intention of it, like it was common sense and he should just know. Which he supposed he would if he was from here. Sure why the hell not?

Atem crossed the room and held his hand out to help him up. He took it, and let him help him up, trying not to look into the fact that Atem hesitated to let go of him when he was on his feet. He followed him out of the room into the hall. Yuugi was waiting at the doorway for them, smiling when he saw them. “Hurry up!”

Atem laughed, “It’s a walk, you know?”

“Then let’s walk faster. Oh! I forgot my wallet!”

Kaiba watched Yuugi race around the sofa toward him and trip on his own two feet. He stumbled forward and hit him square in the chest. Under normal circumstances, he would’ve shoved him back, but Yuugi fell face first right into the cube in his chest. It hurt. Like someone shoved a steak into his heart.

Atem laughed, jogging back around the sofa and pulling Yuugi back away from him. As soon as he did, Kaiba realized Yuugi was bleeding. “How? How did you do that?”

“What?”

Atem frowned and turned Yuugi to face him, gasping when he saw the blood dripping from his nose onto the carpet. “You’re bleeding!”

He ushered Yuugi into the kitchen, but Kaiba stayed behind, rubbing the tender sourness from his chest. That hurt. Probably as much as Yuugi’s nose did.

—

Come Friday, he wanted to kill everyone on campus, starting with Yuugi and ending with Atem. After Yuugi hurt his nose, everyone in the house didn’t want him going back to his dorm on the incredibly unlikely and off chance of it ‘getting worse’. His blackening eye had them worried he actually broke it. Devlin suggested he sleep on the sofa, Taylor said something about his study group crashing there, which left Yuugi to stay in his room. It would’ve been fine. They could figure out more about how to leave without being interrupted a million times, but NO! Atem INSISTED that Yuugi stayed in his room with him. 

He couldn’t win. 

The day got worse when he found out Atem invited Yuugi to watch the last game to determine their house Captain. If Yuugi was there, he’d lose. He knew it. Not because of him specifically, but because every time he’d look at Atem or him he’d remember the other dimension they were in. Yuugi had Atem’s attention, undivided, and he managed to get it here too. Why hadn’t he thought of this when Atem asked him to bring him before? He agreed to it before, but now it was different. 

They had a party again to celebrate the last game. He wanted nothing to do with it and sat in his room, clicking through a digital textbook and marveling at the strange letters that he somehow understood when a knock at his door made him turn. “What?”

“Can I come in?”

“What do you want?”

Atem pushed the door open and closed it behind him. “What are you doing?”

“Reading. What does it look like I’m doing?”

“You never miss a party with us.”

“Yeah, well, I was an idiot.”

He sighed and walked up to the side of the desk. “Don’t be like that.”

“How am I supposed to be? Drunk?”

Atem grinned. “That’s a start.” 

He rolled his eyes and went back to reading, trying to ignore Atem sitting on his bed and staring at him. 

“I’m glad you introduced me to Yuugi.”

He bristled, clutching the mouse so tight he accidentally clicked out of his reading and had to click back in, slamming it on the desk. 

“He’s cute, don’t you think?”

“No. He’s an idiotic, useless, inconvenience on a good day.”

“Really? You don’t think he’s cute? Even with the glasses?”

“I already told you no. Are you fishing for something?”

Atem frowned and shook his head. “I just don’t believe you. If you really thought that, why are you spending so much time with him?”

“We’re in a University, Atem. I’m working on a project. That’s what you do here!”

“You’re not a very good liar.”

“And you’re shitty at reading the room. If there’s nothing else, leave me alone.”

Atem scowled at him, still not leaving, just sitting there. Why was he even in here? Neither moved for a while and honestly, he was expecting Yuugi to barge in and sweep Atem out of the room at any minute. Instead, Atem pushed up off the bed and walked away. Close enough. He turned back to his computer but the door didn’t open or close. Sighing through his nose, he closed his eyes and grit his teeth. It sure felt like the universe was telling him he was tough out of luck. It’s always about Yuugi somehow.

“I don’t understand you.”

“Good.”

“I’m being serious. Nothing you’ve done all week makes any sense. You get together with Tara, who you’ve been after since I met you, then act like you’ve never heard of her. And now you’re talking to some geeky freshman, who I’ve never seen on campus before, every damn day, and don’t try to tell me it’s for a project. You and I both know that’s a lie.”

It was for a project. A ‘getting back so he could get the rematch that was promised to him’ project.

“We’re friends. You can tell me the truth.”

He spun around in the chair, looking him dead in the eye and wondering for a brief moment if he could actually tell him the truth. He accepted it easily in the other dimension, but something told him Atem would think he was making fun of him here. He had a very solid idea of what Kaiba was doing. “And what is the truth, Atem? Since it seems like you’ve already decided on it.”

“You told me about Tara. I don’t understand why you’re hiding things from me now. If you’re dating Yuugi, just tell me. We’re best friends.”

Now he’d heard everything. He didn’t know what to pick apart first in that wreck of a statement. They weren’t best friends, that girl was a mistake that should’ve never been talked about, and he wasn’t, will never, and had never wanted to date Yuugi. Why was he so sure he was? Because he was talking to him? It was absurd, far-fetched and paranoid. 

Though he hadn’t said a word, it sure looked like Atem heard it all. His expression shifted, his frown loosened up to mild surprise and his cheeks tinged pink. “…You’re not dating him.”

“I’ve said no at least three times since you barged in here. What do you think?”

“Why not?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. This idiot ‘Anderson’ needed to learn to keep his damn mouth shut. That’s all he wanted to impart on this dimension’s version of himself. His ‘mom’ claimed to know he liked Atem and Atem claimed to know he liked Tara. Two things that never should’ve been said to either of them. But this wasn’t his problem. Why was he making this his problem? “Why is it so damn important to you who I’m dating?”

He took a step back and lifted his shoulders not looking at him. “It’s not. We’re friends. I just don’t like you keeping things from me.”

There’s that ‘friends’ bullshit again. “Now who’s a shitty liar?”

“I just… don’t believe you don’t like Yuugi.”

“Of course you don’t.”

“He’s better than Tara.”

He started to argue but he had him there. Atem walked back over to the bed and sat down, puffing. He watched him, then glanced at the door, still surprised Yuugi wasn’t coming to the rescue, before looking at him again. “What’s the real problem?”

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and ran a hand through his hair tangling it in the mess. He just stared at the floor for a while. The thuds and bangs and laughter from the party, though muffled could be heard for the first time in the room since Atem walked in. He watched him just stare, unblinking, at the floor. Apparently that was the right question to ask, though he wondered if he’d get an answer. 

“I’ve never wanted to be Captain. We started this tournament at the beginning of the year. I thought I’d compete against you to knock you down a peg. You and Noa are insufferably arrogant.”

“Don’t lump me in with him.”

Atem laughed, looking up at him. “Anyway, we’re friends now. I know how much being Captain means to you. I’ve tried to let you win the last… 8 games but I don’t know.” He looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s not the game. It’s just playing against you.”

He couldn’t agree more. “I don’t want your charity.” 

“And I don’t want to take this away from you.”

“What makes you think you’ll win?”

Atem grinned, searching his face and resting on his eyes. “Are you willing to risk it? I’m not. I don’t want you to resent me for the rest of our lives and don’t try to tell me you won’t. I know you better.”

He wanted to insist, but this wasn’t his life. He felt in his gut there was more riding on this than just a game. The sensible thing would be to let Atem stand down, but he wanted to do this. He didn’t get his rematch, this was as close as he was going to get. 

“And… things came up. I think it’d be best to just forfeit.”

“Things?”

“Yeah. Things with glasses having secret meetings with my competitor.”

“You think I’m cheating?”

“I think you’re involving me in something I’m not ready to deal with yet.”

He scoffed, “Neither am I.”

“So what do you want me to do?”

“I’m not letting you back out. We’re one game away. Play it and play right.”

Atem grinned, renewed determination in his eyes. “If you’re sure, let’s go. I have a night of celebrating to do after I trounce you.”

“Not a chance.”

His deep laughter filled the room as he stood. He followed him to the door and out into the hall. The noise was unbearable, but he followed Atem towards the gaming room anyway.

“Hey! Oh good.” Yuugi beamed at them, bandage over his nose under his glasses (probably the only thing keeping them up) and a shadowed right eye. “Ready for your game? I can’t wait to see it. I’ve been hearing about it all week.” Then he said a little softer to Atem, “Are you sure?”

“Anderson insisted. I can only argue so much.”

He giggled and gestured for him to lead the way. They started for the gaming room when someone caught Kaiba’s eye. Stumbling out of the crowd of partiers, swaying and growling, was the guy from the quad that tried to punch him, the guy who shoved Yuugi. “Anderson! I’m go-gonna kill you!”

This is exactly why this universe's version of himself was a useless waste of space. He didn’t get a chance to respond, Atem did it for him. “We’re not having any fighting here, Loquin. You got kicked out for that last time, we’ll just kick you out again. Let it go.” 

He raised a gun, pointing it at Atem first, wobbling from alcohol or drugs. “Stay out of it!”

Atem gasped, several girls in the party screamed, people backed up and scrambled over each other when they saw the gun. Kaiba couldn’t bring himself to be surprised. There had to be a law or some scientific reasoning behind the consistent fact he wasn’t allowed to have a final match with Atem in any dimension or universe. It sure felt that way. He was so close…

Loquin’s hand shook, pointing the gun at Kaiba instead of Atem. That was better. He could let go of the breath he held. “You…” he snarled, his jaw trembling in pure rage, “you ruined my life.”

Kaiba didn’t move. He didn’t try talking to him. He just stared at him. This was the ‘picking your battles’ thing that even Yuugi knew how to do, but not this idiot. He deserved to be shot. 

He didn’t move. 

Atem didn’t move.

The guy looked like he’d changed his mind, rethinking his choices then raised the gun again, stiffening his arm. Yuugi  _ moved _ , charging past Atem and putting himself right in between him and Kaiba when the gun went off. He stared wide eyed as Yuugi fell back into his arms.

Why did he do that?! 

He sank to his knees propping Yuugi up, while Atem knelt in front of them. The room erupted in screams and gold, blurred people, shapes lost in the shimmer, but he could see Atem, holding on to Yuugi’s face and talking to him, though he couldn’t hear a word. 

Everything was gold. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've read Who the hell is Corbin Anderson?, I hope you liked the not so silent nod at that beautiful family.


	4. Silver and Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuugi finds out he has a soulmate...two soulmates and remembers just how clumsy he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 of AUgust Soulmate AU

“Yuug’. Hey Yuug’… wake up buddy, it’s your turn.”

He groaned, turning to look around the brightly lit room, a waiting room, filled with chairs and several of his friends. Tea sat across from him bouncing in her seat and grinning ear to ear. “Hurry up Yuugi! You're the last of us. Show me as soon as you come out! I’m so excited.”

“Uh… Where am I… going? Where am I going? Sorry.” He laughed nervously, “I’m still tired.”

They laughed while Joey helped him to his feet, gesturing to an unmarked grey door. “Tell ‘em I sent ya.”

“Okay.”

He didn’t know what he was doing, but he walked to the door anyway, a little excited from Tea’s excitement. It had to be something good right? Pushing open the door he found Mai, dressed in a business suit, the front open a little too much reminding him of running into her int he first dimension and leaning over a basin of water with flowers in it. She looked up at him and smiled. “Ready?”

“Uh… Yeah, I guess.” She gestured to the basin and stepped to the side. “Put your arm in, make sure it’s fully submerged.”

“Oh okay.” He walked up to the white basin and laid his right arm in it. “What now?”

She leaned back over the basin, frowned then gestured with a pen to his other arm. “That one too.”

“Okay.”

He laid the other arm in as well, making sure both were submerged then gasped, all colors of the rainbow swirling in the water, the flowers glowing and blooming, spinning in the lights and current that couldn’t possibly be in the water. Watching in amazement, golden letters appeared on one arm, silver on the other. “Wow…”

She humphed, smirking down at the water. “Lucky you kiddo. Two soulmates. That’s a rare thing indeed.”

“What?”

She tapped his shoulder and waved for him to take his arms out of the water, holding up a towel with her other hand. He took it and dried off his arms, patting the new gold and silver on his forearms. It was so beautiful. He’d never seen anything like it. “Don’t get any tattoos on there for a few months. I’d wait a year, but it’s up to you.”

“Oh okay.”

“Send in the next one,” she called to the door and turned her back to him.

He set the towel down and walked out, staring at the writing on his arms. He couldn’t quite make it out. Maybe Tea could help. Pushing open the door with his shoulder, he smiled at his friends all leaping up to see him. “Holy shit Yuug’! Ya got two?!”

Tea squealed and raced past them, grabbing his wrists and holding his arms in an uncomfortable angle. “Ouch!”

“Sorry… it’s kind of hard to read isn’t it?”

It was. Almost like each arm said two different things, shimmering between the two. He wondered if maybe it was because he wasn’t from this dimension. Was it picking up from both him and his alternate universe self? The prospect of having incite into his soulmates, the fact he had two in both dimensions, made him feel light headed reading them.

In gold he could make out, ‘You make me everything I want to be.’ And ‘I know what I want now; you.’

In silver, he had to turn it to the light a certain way but he could make out ‘I just wish I could hold you’ and ‘I’ll never be the one to hold you back.’

But which is which? Who says what? In the grand scheme of things, these were pretty useless weren’t they?

“Oh these are so romantic!” Tea said, laying her hand on her chest. 

“Heh, they better be or Tristan and I’ll have ta have a little talk with ‘em right?”

Tristan fist bumped him, an overly serious expression until they both burst into laughter. He looked up at all of them, remembering the awful time he had in the last universe. “I love you guys. You know that?”

Tea laughed and wrapped her arm around his shoulders. “We love you too Yuugi.” 

Ryou nodded and hummed, then walked around to his side, taking his arm gently from Tea. “Do you have a guess who they are?”

“Not a single clue.”

“You’re the only one who knows Ryou,” Tea teased, winking at him.

He blushed and let go of Yuugi’s arm lifting his shoulders. He didn’t get a chance to ask who it was. Joey walked over to Ryou, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and kissed his cheek. “Betchur happy I talk like this, ain’t ya?”

Ryou’s blush turned deep red and he covered his face. Well that was new… but… he saw it. Ever since that whole thing with Diva, Joey spent a lot more time with Ryou. He could see it and honestly, it was adorable. He was happy for them. 

“Never gets old,” Joey laughed and kissed the top of his head before stepping away and gesturing with his head to the door with an exit sigh above it. “I say we get some lunch I’m starvin’.”

He followed his friends all teasing each other, flashing arms with letters of all different colors. Tea’s was bright hot pink, Ryou’s was deep red, Joey’s was a charcoal gray. Tristan's a nice shade of blue. He looked down at his shimmering arms. Compared to theirs, his was flashy and… more. Two. Wow! Was this real or just a special surprise for his life in this universe until he moved to the next one?

They stopped at a burger place that Tea made a comment about being ‘their favorite place’. He’d never seen it before, but he wasn’t arguing about the food. He hadn’t eaten in a long time and the last thing he remembered having was a mystery cocktail that Atem made him at the party. He laughed with them, talking about the words on their arms and their days, just spending time together. Something he missed so much with Tea in New York and Joey traveling for Pro tournaments. 

He wondered what happened to send him here. He couldn’t remember past walking towards the gaming room in the frat house. That thought led him down a curious path of wondering if Atem had words on his arm, or Kaiba for that matter. He should find Kaiba. As much as he loved spending time with his friends, this wasn’t his world. 

After lunch he said goodbye to them, walking the opposite way of them towards Kaiba Corp, hoping he was there. Maybe Atem would be there too. Who knew?

Jumping into the glass rotating doors, he smiled, looking around the main lobby. Just like back home. “Can I help you sir?”

“OH uh.. Yes I need to speak with Kaiba. My name’s Yuugi.”

She quirked a brow, looking him over, then her eyes landed on his arms. She turned up her nose and looked down at her desk. “He’s in meetings all day. If you don't have an appointment, you’ll have to schedule one for a later date.”

“Oh… Okay can I schedule one then?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t make appointments. You’ll have to go to the other desk.”

He looked around the lobby but her desk was the only one. Then he sighed. Lucky indeed. Apparently she didn’t think so. He reached for his sleeves, realizing this wasn’t something to show off a little too late and tried to pull them down. Out of nowhere something hit his forehead and he flinched back. “Ow.”

A pen bounced on the ground, followed by loud rushed footsteps towards him. He glanced up at Kaiba, striding through the lobby in his direction and he did NOT look happy. Maybe that wasn’t Kaiba. “Uh…”

“Shut it, Mutou! What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I… What?”

He blinked, taking a step back as Kaiba shoved his shoulder, throwing him off balance and he stumbled back, just barely catching himself. “Why did you do that?!”

“Do what?”

“I don’t need you martyring yourself, especially for me. I can deal with my own shit. Stay out of it!”

“What are you talking about?”

His expression twisted then he reached out and pulled at his shirt, popping the top button off and revealing the cube beneath. All the sudden the anger was back. “Don’t play dumb with me!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“You were shot trying to play hero. We don’t know what’ll happen if either of us die or if the cube is destroyed. Don’t do it again! If I get stuck in this abysmal loop because you’re trying to play ‘save the world’ I swear I’ll hunt you down in every single dimension I jump into and I’ll kill you myself!”

He remembered then, the pain in his stomach, the shot, Atem telling him to hold on. This was one hell of a thank you. He glared at him. “Thanks for saving my life Yuugi. You’re welcome Kaiba.”

He snarled and stomped past him. 

“I’m not going to let you get shot Kaiba.”

“Don’t Mutou.” 

Glancing back at the secretary, he shot after him, realizing this was his only window. “I’m serious. Especially there.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You were needed more than I was there. It worked out.”

“He needed to be shot. It’d teach him not to make idiotic decisions like the one you made,” Kaiba spat, glancing back over his shoulder long enough to get his point across. “Don’t do it again.”

Yuugi mocked him silently until he glanced back again then lifted his shoulders, trying not to laugh. Kaiba led him through Kaiba corp to the elevator he’d created for the space station. Yuugi gasped and ran up to it. “It’s here! So … we could fix the cube?”

“Maybe. If nothing else, I can possibly create something to control the jumps.”

Yuugi beamed at that. They could go home! He could see Atem. He could face him now. He’d faced him twice already though he wasn’t sure what he’d say. Still, this was great news. 

“What is that?”

He frowned, following Kaiba’s gaze to his arms. “Oh! They’re… tattoos I think? They are something my soulmates will say or something like that.”

“Soulmates?” Kaiba rolled his eyes and walked up to the pod. “You would buy into that.”

“Don’t believe in soulmates?”

“No. It’s a system to keep idiots in shitty relationships or a scapegoat for bastards with delusions of grandeur. Relationships aren’t handed to you like that. Everyone isn’t entitled to one.”

Yuugi laughed, looking at both his outstretched arms. “Right? I’m entitled to two.”

“You’re entitled to nothing.”

“My ink begs to differ,” he said with a grin.

Kaiba typed into the control pad and stepped into the pod, shaking his head. “That’s not ink.”

“How would you know? It could be.”

He sat down and smirked. “No.”

It could be. Looking at his arms he walked up to it and sat on the arm of the chair inside the pod like he did coming up with him before. The glass door closed and it jerked, launching up. This had to be his favorite part of using it. He could do this all day every day. Watching the earth get smaller and smaller was humbling and beautiful. He leaned forward so he could see it a little better when the pod jerked again. He lost his balance and fell right into Kaiba’s lap. Blushing, he tried to move, sitting up and leaning back against Kaiba so he could stand, but gold spread around him. “Oh no. I’m so sorry!”

Kaiba sighed, as gold covered everything, “…I’m detecting a pattern.”

—

“Come on Chef! That Scorbetar won’t peel itself.”

Yuugi blinked, watching Tea walk past the small window. Okay… Glancing back behind him he saw Kaiba standing near a tank of lobster looking things. He backed up and turned, searching the room until his eyes landed on him. “Don’t move.”

“Okay.” 

Yuugi turned to face him and he groaned. “Turn back.”

He frowned and hesitantly turned back to the counter. He heard Kaiba walking towards him. Maybe he had something on him or was going to step in something. “What is it?”

“I’m checking a theory.”

Before he could even acknowledge what he said, he saw Kaiba wrap his arms around him and felt his chest press against his back. In the blink of an astonished eye, the kitchen turned to gold. 

“Hmmm…”


	5. As Above, So Below

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the midst of a war between angels and demons, a Commander witnesses a strange altercation between an angel and a human. The human... He knows him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 4 AUgust Angels and Demons AU

He breathed out his life. Inhaling blue flames that quickly consumed the gold giving birth to a desolate wasteland. An army marched behind him. He could hear it, he could feel it, and he knew it, like an extension of himself stretched out as far as the eye could see. One body, one mind, one flame devouring all it touched. That was his sole purpose, to devour all he touched and it was hard to focus on anything but that. He would catch a memory of gold or a whisper of a name, his name, but it never stayed, like the embers he left behind in his steps, catching the wind but never long enough to ignite again. He had to try. It was important… was it important?

“Feathers ahead, Commander.”

He turned to a man next to him, golden hair and glowing yellow eyes, horns stretched from the top of his head up, fitted with a golden plate. His face… looking at him sparked annoyance and anger but he wasn’t sure it was him or the angel’s he was referring to. “Just a few. Is it even worth mentioning?”

He laughed, an echo of an ancient language accompanying it like a growling beast. “Where there’s one, there’s thousands.”

“Good. The flames are weakening.”

A single angel (an upper ranking one by tell of its wings) hovered over the ground, attempting to talk to a human. He watched it, finding that curious. The humans were no concern of theirs, just food for the flames. They never bothered to aid them. 

As they drew closer, he watched as the angel held out a hand to the human, trying to crawl away from him. “Please, Atem.”

“H-how do you know my name?”

“I… I don’t know. I can’t… it’s hard to think. Just look at me. Please… So I can remember you.”

The human moved back a little more, the angel insisting on following him, hovering, a hand held out weakly. They were close enough to charge them now. He should give the orders to do so. Soon there would be thousands. He didn’t have time for hesitation, but watching them he did hesitate. The human slowly climbed to his feet, weak, touched by the remnants of the four horsemen who created this battle ground for them. He held his hand out to the angel.

He saw his face.

Atem. 

His name was Kaiba.

This wasn’t him.

He jumped Dimensions with Yuugi.

He had to remember who he was.

His name was Kaiba.

His name was Kaiba.

He name-

Wings drummed up over the horizon, thousands beating together creating a cloud of gray, backdropping the single angel and human. His Marshal laughed, the glowing gold in his eyes sparking, “The flock we were searching for.”

“Right on schedule.” He turned towards the army, the hoard of demons misshapen and decayed. “Devour what you can! Save your strength for the coming battle!”

They roared and snarled, demonic and twisted, rushing forward to take what sustenance they could from the cloud. The human looked at them, gasping then turned back to the angel desperately. He reacted, reaching out for the human wrapping it’s mid wings around him and lifting him up, higher and higher out of reach of the flock and the army. He snarled watching it take off. What cowardice!

“Want me to finish it off?”

“No. I’ll take care of it.”

“Heh, perks of being Commander,” he said, following the army towards the scattering flock. “Save a wing for me.”

“Not a chance.”

He kept his eyes on the angel and strode against the flow of the army. They swept around him paying him little mind. They were one, no need to see, no need to hesitate. This angel was a fool, taking the human into their territory. Did it not see them? Did it not know? And if it did… What did that mean? He watched it lower the human to the ground once again, not far behind the rushing demons, locked on their hunger for the flock. 

The angel hovered, looking at the human, talking to it, though he heard nothing but the rush of the demons. The human backed away from it then ran. A fool, soon to be a meal as well. The angel watched him, reaching out and possibly calling out. Then something happened. The angel took off into the air, flying out of their territory. It made a wise decision and one he could not stop. No matter. That human would do. 

He pulled the blade from his back and charged after the human who was no match for his speed. The human glanced back and tried to run faster. He smirked, trailing after him through the cracked earth and jagged rocks. It wasn’t long before the human tripped, shouting in pain. The corner of his lips twitched. Blood. He could smell it. He had hoped for a battle with the angel before it succumbed or at the least a chase, but he supposed he’d settle for graveling. 

He was at the human’s side before he had a chance to push himself up and stepped on his chest, putting enough pressure on him to puncture his flesh on the rocks beneath him. The human screamed; he raised his sword. 

Snarling in pain, the human tried to push his foot off, glancing up at him.

His face.

Atem. 

He had to remember. 

“My name is Kaiba.”

Atem blinked back tears, glaring at him and growling through clenched teeth, “I don’t give a damn who you are demon!”

“No I… I forgot who I was. How is that possible?”

He lowered the sword and eased up the pressure on Atem’s chest. He wanted to let him go, but considering this was the first time he really felt like himself and he wasn’t sure what caused it, he couldn’t. “Don’t move. You’ll hurt yourself.”

“I’m not the one holding me down!”

“What do you have to do with me remembering?”

Atem thrashed and tried to get free. 

“Stop!” He heard it, in his voice, that echo of a language spoken by a beast. It was his voice, but it was not. “Do you have a death wish?”

“It’s better than being one of those things you were leading.”

The army. Part of him knew what that meant, they were demons, people, angels... None of this was making sense. Why was this so strong? Instead of nothing, no feelings or memories from the dimensions before, and instead of the guiding nudges in the back of his mind like with the dragons, he felt like he had to fight himself to keep control. This universe’s version of him was a hell of a lot stronger than him. What was holding him back now?

Atem shifted again, almost getting free. He had no choice, but to press down on him again. He shouted in pain and stopped moving completely, laying his head back and muttering, “First it’s a weird angel trying to ‘help’ now it’s a demon telling me his name. Just kill me and get it over with.”

“I’m not going to kill you Atem.”

He blinked, frowning at him. “How do you know my name too?”

“Lucky guess. You’re a constant thorn in my side.”

“And you're a thorn in my back. Let me go or kill me.”

He glanced up at the army, their minds melding with his, calling him back. First his meal, he raised his sword and looked down at him again. “Damn it!”

Atem huffed, sitting up as best he could. “What’s going on with you?”

“It’s you. I have to focus on you.” 

He felt his other self dissipating slightly, half and half control. If he so much as glanced away, he’d lose it. Shit. How was he supposed to find Yuugi if he couldn’t even look away from him?!

“That’s what the angel…” Atem’s disbelief was swallowed up in frustration. “What’s going on? Who are you?”

“I told you. My name is Kaiba. I’m not from here.”

“You’re a demon.”

“No. Well yes…”

“So you’re possessing a demon?”

He grinned, the demon part of him hated that. “Yes. That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

“What’s possessing that angel then?”

That was a good question, a question he had to focus on so much his chest hurt and his eyes stung. The demon part of him fought over that little bit of knowledge. He wanted to know too. It made it hard for him to think. Another angel. No, Yuugi. Yuugi was possessing the angel. “Yuugi.”

“Yeah... That’s what he said his name was.” Atem breathed. “If you can possess demons and angels we could change the tide of this war.”

“Not a chance. I want to leave.”

“How can you say that? So many people are dead. This world is torn apart. We need to stop the war!”

“That is a conversation to have with the angel,” he said, the demonic echo to his voice strengthening. He grit his teeth focusing on Atem’s face until the echo lessoned. “Yuugi. Talk to Yuugi about it.”

Atem huffed and laid his head back down, staring up at him. “Not doing a great job of possessing him.”

“He apparently has some strong opinions on the subject.”

Atem shifted his head on the dirt. “I think I’ve met you before. The demon I mean.”

“He remembers you too,” he said, unable to stop the echo, demonic and twisted, and the thoughts that accompanied it were no less so. 

Atem made a strange face, like he could hear the thoughts and pushed on his foot again. “Let me up.”

“If you run I-”

“Will chase me down. Just let me up.”

He did what he asked, not sure if it was a trick or not, but tried his best to keep his focus on Atem’s face. While Atem slowly stood up, he tried to process what information he had from the demon and formulate a plan to find Yuugi before he took over again. The wastes of earth were vast, but being a Commander he had a clear picture of where their armies marched, where their bases were, where the Angel bases were, though they didn’t call them that. They called them something else. It hurt to try and think about. 

Atem dusted himself off right as he deduced the base Yuugi would’ve escaped to. “We need to go north.”

Atem looked away from him, glancing north and his fingers twitched on the blade. He looked back and shook his head. “He’s not there.”

“You have a better idea?”

“The best way to find an angel is to trap them, right?”

The demon part of him was pleased with that plan, already gave him a map, bait, the footwork. Something he did all the time. Though the memory he chose to show Kaiba wasn’t one he wanted to relive. “If… if we don’t get this right-”

“I know,” Atem murmured, “but you’re right. If you can’t even look away from me there’s no way we’ll catch a Seraphim Battle-Arch on the ground.”

A Battle-Arch; angel support officers and  _ particularly powerful healers. Particularly delicious. Powerful enough to heal themselves while being picked apart. Plenty of self-righteous might to devour in the flames.  _ He wrinkled his nose and suppressed a gag. He might be in control, but this universe’s version of himself was toying with him, bleeding into his memories too; overly curious about the cube, and about Yuugi who had the other piece. This was bad. “We need to hurry.”

He nodded and took a deep breath. “You need to walk backwards. I’ll trip if I do.”

“What?”

“Straight back 6 paces.”

Kaiba did what he instructed, the consciousness of the demons on earth showing him, like his computers, exactly where he was. This was the right direction. Atem wasn’t trying to trick him. Noble  _ or stupid. _ “I’m not interested in anything you have to say.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“We’re almost there.”

He nodded. Not wanting to hear the demonic beast in his voice anymore. 

Two more steps back and he tried to take in all that he could see past Atem. He was in the gorge just on the other side of the angel base. The place for the trap. “This is it. I’m out of vials.”

He reached into the pocket of his belt and pulled out a vial. Holding it out to Atem, he tried to focus on his next words. “I take it you know what to do.”

He hesitated before nodding and Kaiba wondered what happened to the angels the humans managed to catch. Atem backed up a few paces then opened the vial, strategically pouring it onto his back, then crouched down. He did too, just so he could be at a better level with Atem’s face and out of sight from Yuugi if it caught him. Atem sighed, his fingers twitching against the dirt. “If this doesn’t work, I’m out of ideas.”

“I’m not worried about that. He has a lot more.”

Atem snickered, “Bad ideas though.”

“That’s a word for it.”

“Are you ready for this? We have to be fast.”

“No, I’m not.”

Atem laughed, genuinely laughed, and almost forgot to hold his gaze. At least some of the tension was out of him, until the wings thrummed above them. Atem pressed his lips together, glancing up through his bangs then back at him. He mouthed ‘Yuugi’.

Kaiba let out a sigh of relief. 

The thrum of wings grew louder as he assumed Yuugi descended into the gorge. Then a voice, Yuugi’s, but it held a ring to it; not unlike the sound of someone playing a set of water goblets to create perfect pitched notes to match. “Hold on, brother. What have they done to you?”

This felt wrong. It was just Yuugi, but in this universe he was an angel. They were tricking an angel, much the same way a predator would coax out prey. Tingling spread through his chest, making his fingers twitch. He felt like he set a trap for God.

A glowing soft hand laid on Atem’s shoulder, wings curling around him, blocking his view of Atem.  _ Now. _ He launched off the ground, tackling Yuugi, pinning him down, and holding onto his central wings. 

_ This insect! It would be this one. _ Forcing its mid wings apart, he could see the cube’s glow in his back. The power to conquer worlds at the tip of the flames; almost theirs, masked by a meal. “I’ve waited centuries for this, Battle-Arch!” 

“Kaiba!”

He ignored the human. What could he do? Nothing! The Battle-Arch struggled, like he knew it would, beating it’s free wings, sending clouds of dust up into the air. He had to stop that. No need to invite the rest of the feathers. He tightened his grip on its mid wings ready to tear them off when he felt hands on his face firmly lifting his gaze away from the winged insect. 

“Kaiba look at me!”

“Unwise, human.”

“Kaiba?”

That’s right. His name was Kaiba. 

All he could do was stare at Atem as he took a step back, like he was satisfied he wouldn’t go on a mutilating spree (at least one of them was), and did the same thing to Yuugi; lifting his chin so he would look at him. Yuugi still struggled a little, but he wasn’t a panicked mess of twitches and feathers. The ring in his voice wasn’t quite as loud. “Let me go.”

“Not until I’m sure you’re not going to fly off.”

Yuugi stopped moving all together. The silence hung in the air like the dust that took it’s time settling around them. The demon part of him was relieved it didn’t reach the top of the gorge. He should be relieved too, but all he felt was sick. That was too close. “…Kaiba?”

Atem smiled at him and plopped down on the ground, like he’d lost the strength to stay kneeling. “That’s just incredible.”

Yuugi pushed himself up enough to look at him better. He tried to turn around and talk to him, but the instant he did that his wings moved. He shot his attention back to Atem and sighed, laying back down. “Bad idea. Got it,” he murmured to himself, then sighed. “What’s going on?”

“You’re possessing an angel, and your friend is possessing a demon.”

“Possessing?”

“That’s not important,” Kaiba spat, watching Atem meet his gaze. “We need to leave. I-He knows about the cube. We can’t stay here.”

“Yeah. My self in this universe does too and I’d venture to guess they had the same idea.”

“You’re an angel. I doubt it.”

“If the angels got this, they’d go to every dimension and ‘purify’ it of evil. If the demons got it they’d destroy everything. I’m here to tell you, with a good idea of what both of those things mean, it’s the same thing.”

“You both are curious beings,” Atem whispered, glancing between the two of them. “I’ve never heard an angel say anything like that.”

“And don’t get me started on the humans here,” Yuugi said, almost like he found it ironic and he imagined he was grinning at Atem. “’Let’s say we’re ending evil and just destroy.”

“That is the way of things,” Atem said with a sad smile. “Maybe none of us should be here.”

Yuugi lifted his head more and huffed. “That isn’t what I said at all.”

“It is.”

“We can’t stay here. As long as the cube is in this dimension, all of them are at risk.”

“You figured out how we jump dimensions, right Kaiba?”

Yes. He did. Their memories of it were altered however. He still wasn’t quite sure why that was. His memory in the first world stopped as he watched Yuugi fall, the dragon trying to follow his command to cut him off so he could catch him. The dimension after that, his memory faded, watching Yuugi stumble back from being shot. After that him falling into his lap and the last one, acting on the instinct that it had something to do with how they broke the cube to begin with; sitting cramped up in the pod. He remembered walking over to Yuugi, then they were here. So his hypothesis was correct. Although he couldn’t remember it, he knew how each jump occurred.

Part of the Cube was in Yuugi. Part of it was in him. 

“…Yes.”

“Then what are we waiting for?”

He flexed his grip on Yuugi’s wings releasing one, so he could feel his back. Yuugi twitched and giggled, “Stop! What are you doing?”

“I can’t see.”

“What does that-” Yuugi burst into laughter as Kaiba tried to move his wings. 

The sound took him and Atem by surprise. Even if he tried, he knew he had nothing to compare it to. It was light, had the ring of a perfectly pitched instrument played by a musician of such talent never witnessed before. It was everything he expected to hear from an angel as he’d understood them to be; divine.

But over the sound of the radiant and flawless tune, was Yuugi’s real laugh. The one he saved for his friends and his family; one he imagined he had for Atem as well. Real, unhindered and loud. It always annoyed him before and although he had some understanding that the musical ring would cut down on that, he didn’t expect it to meld with such a divine sound. It fit. It felt like it was supposed to sound like that. 

He liked the sound. _ He liked the sound. _

That was enough to light a fire under his desire to get out of this dimension as fast as he could. Four of Yuugi’s wings easily pressed against his back. They weren’t a problem. His mid wings, however, stuck straight out. He pushed down on them, trying to flatten those wings against his back like the other four. Yuugi stopped laughing and dug his nails into the dirt. “Stop!”

He did, frowning by the reaction, but Atem didn’t seem phased. Instead he watched Yuugi with a bewildered smirk. “Interesting beings.”

“Don’t do that again. It’s like…. Someone pushing your fingers all the way back. Those don’t do whatever it was you were trying to do.”

Atem chuckled. “He’s a Battle-Arch. Those wings are for flying, the others are for guarding and healing. They can block a blade without a scratch left on them. Their mid wings are sensitive though.”

To iterate his point, he leaned forward and laid his hand over Kaiba’s, still on his wing. Then his hand moved but he had no idea what he was doing. Yuugi burst into laughter and tried to get free again. “S-stop stop stop! Ha!”

“Heh…” Atem sat back down, crossing his legs and looking down at Yuugi with an impressed smile. “I’ve never heard an angel laugh before.”

“You’re both lucky I can’t move.”

His stomach dropped. This wasn’t going to work. 

“You’re not very threatening laughing like that” Atem purred, his smile twisting into a mischievous grin.

“Atem don’t you dare!”

Chortling, he reached over to Yuugi’s wings again. Yuugi laughed, trying to tell him to stop. Kaiba wished they’d stop, he needed to think, but the sound was comforting. The only comfort in this entire hell hole of a dimension. That and the spark in Atem’s eyes watching Yuugi laugh, like the sound gave him some of his humanity back. Indulging that train of thought only prolonged the inevitable. If he so much as glanced away from Atem, the demon part of him was ready to rip Yuugi to shreds, waiting with unnerving patience and growing increasingly confident. _ He would rip him apart. It was only a matter of when. _

Atem sat back on the ground, glancing up at Kaiba with a satisfied smile, though it faded the longer he looked at him. “What’s wrong?”

Yuugi’s laughter petered out, but he could still hear him breathing heavily; feel him tense up under his hands. “Kaiba?”

“I-” What was he supposed to say? “Just give me a minute.”

Yuugi pushed himself up and turned his head as much as possible while still looking at Atem. “What’s wrong? The cube’s still there if thats-”

“That’s not the problem.”

“What’s the problem then?”

“Your wings,” he said, trying to ignore the demonic growl in his voice. “We’ve jumped to every dimension under a similar set of circumstances mirroring what happened when the cube was broken to begin with.”

“No we haven’t. Every time was different.”

“No. Every time was the same.”

“Right. I died.”

Atem’s brows knit together and he sat up straighter. “Died?”

“No. I don’t think you’ve died in any of them.” He frowned, adding, “at least not when we jumped. You fell off the dragon. I caught you.”

“You said you didn’t remember-”

“I don’t, but it’s the only explanation that would be consistent with the others. I caught you in that dimension, you fell back when you were shot and-”

“I lost my balance in the elevator. That’s what you tested out in the kitchen in the last dimension.”

“Yes.”

“Right…” 

Atem glanced between them, growing more concerned and curious. “So what does that mean?”

“My wings don’t bend down,” Yuugi whispered, “If they’re in the way then-” He shifted, pushing himself up again. “There’s only one option Kaiba. We can’t leave the cube here.”

“That option does not include you playing martyr or did you not hear a damn thing I said earlier?”

“This is the only way.”

_ It is the only way. _ “If you’d shut up, I could think of something else.”

“You realize what that means, right?” Atem murmured, “I know you’re just possessing that angel but you’ll feel all of it. It’s... not a fate to take lightly.”

Yuugi nodded and took a deep breath. “I know… I know. I-this dimension's me knows, but I also know what would happen if we stay here. I can't even look away from you Atem. We have to do this and we have to do it now before someone finds us here.”

Atem’s expression changed before his eyes as the realization sank into him exactly what was going on. “I… I don’t think  _ I _ can do this.”

Yuugi tilted his head. “I’m an angel, remember? You don’t like me. You do this all the time, right?”

Atem scowled as if he was offended by that. 

“Just promise me you’ll leave when it’s done. Don’t try to help.”

_ That is wise. Not that he can get far. _

Atem started to answer then clamped his mouth shut. Nodding once, he sat back on the balls of his feet instead of in the dirt. Yuugi took a deep breath and changed his position too, not that he moved a whole lot. “Okay Kaiba... I’m ready.”

They were ready, or as ready as they were going to be. He was as well, both hands on the base of Yuugi’s wings, a very clear and disturbing understanding of what to do. There were no other options and he did run it over in his head at least ten times before adjusting his hands. He had to do this. It was the only way. 

It should be easy. 

He couldn’t move.

He’d done worse for less.

Still couldn’t move.

What was holding him back?

The corners of Atem’s mouth curled up, so small, so slight and so brief he wasn’t sure he saw it at all. Whatever it was that paralyzed him was gone.

He jerked Yuugi’s right wing back all the way to his shoulder blade. The pop that followed drowned in Yuugi’s shriek. For as divine his laughter, his screams were haunting. Atem curled back and seemed to be fighting with himself about looking away from him. It distracted him, long enough to notice his hands were shaking. He jerked back his left wing and Yuugi somehow screamed louder, his whole body violently spasmed, and his wings shook. 

This only began and he felt light headed. 

He thought Atem would look at him with disgust and hatred when he twisted the wing, tearing his flesh to make it easier to pull off. He would. He would look at someone like that if they kept going after hearing him like this. He’d never heard anything like this.

He tightened his grip and pulled, ripping it off and tossed it to the ground away from him, putting his hand on his blood soaked back to get leverage to pull the other one. Yuugi sobbed and screamed, his wings trembling and his nails dug so deep into the dirt he saw trials of blood in them. He took a deep breath, watching Atem back up, blurred eyes and throat tight, tears spilling over the edge as Kaiba ripped off the second wing. 

He wouldn’t make him stay there, but he had to keep watching Atem as he got off of Yuugi’s back and scooped him up, cradling him against his chest. His wings curled, encasing him, but did little to quiet him. A shaky hand wrapped around his wrist. He didn’t understand that. Couldn’t understand. Yuugi no longer held Atem’s gaze, his wings covered his face, but he still held on to him. Was he seeking comfort or offering it? He couldn’t make sense of either.

Atem ran, sprinting through the gorge of gold until he was out of sight. 


	6. Til Death Do Us Part

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuugi's been bitten. He's going to die, but at least he's not alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 AUgust Post-Apocalypse AU

Yuugi woke up in the dark, his back spasming as he rolled over. He could only make out shapes at first then his eyes were too filled with tears to see much of anything. He crawled, frantically searching for a trashcan knowing he wouldn’t make it to hunting down a bathroom. It took some patting around the floor and wall beside the sleeping bag he woke up on to find it. Thank goodness for small miracles!

…Miracles.

He gagged, a violent spasm tearing through his back into his right arm. 

In retrospect it was pretty stupid of him to get so worked up and emotional about the memory of Atem walking through the door. Those nights waking up in the dark and crying himself back to sleep… Over what? It seemed so trivial. He had a whole new memory to drench his nightmares now. The look on his face…

The next spasm was worse and he shook, gagging again.

He knew deep down that the nightmares and the nights in the dark weren't caused by that memory, but the absence of any that could’ve followed. He left. He was somewhere he couldn’t see or talk to him anymore. It hurt, still hurt, probably hurt more now than it ever had before, but Atem walked through the door. A choice was made. No one forced him. He wasn’t ripped through it. He didn’t suffer and Yuugi didn’t have to witness him suffering. Though now he wondered if that was really true. 

He wore his heart on his sleeve, everyone told him that. Atem even told him that. When he won the duel he couldn’t hide how he felt. Atem had to see… had to know that decision was hurting him. Even if he didn’t feel for him like Yuugi did, he still had to be suffering with every step he took. When Yuugi could see him again, after all the nightmares and the loss… he ran. 

Sobbing and trembling, he tightened his grip on the rim of the trashcan. 

He just knew that Atem would ask him what took him so long and the only answer he had was he stopped trying. Kaiba loved him more and if anything showed him that was true, aside from Kaiba basically giving quantum physics, the fabric of reality, and the cycle of life and death the middle finger, was the fact that he didn’t let anyone else suffer what he had to. All this time, he thought Kaiba didn’t care. He cared more. 

He gagged and finally threw up, holding the trashcan with a shaky hand. 

How was he going to face Kaiba? This was all his fault.

Someone wrapped their arm around his waist and buried a hand in his hair, kissing the top of his head. They curled around him, not saying a word, playing with his hair, smoothing it away from his face when he gagged again. When was the last time someone held him like this? It should bother him, or at the very least make him want to see who it was. But he didn’t care. He had no idea who they were or why they did this or where he was and damn it, he did not care. Right at this moment he needed it.

Leaning back and pushing the trashcan away, he just laid there, letting whoever it was rock him slightly. After a while the warmth dulled the spasms in his back, soothing the memory away. His arm still hurt and it’s annoying ache made him look at it. He didn’t hurt his arm in the other dimension and he felt stupid that it didn’t click he might’ve already had this injury before coming to this dimension. His right wrist was wrapped loosely in a torn tee-shirt, blood red and putrid yellowish green. Dirt under his nails and dusting the makeshift bandage that needed to be changed. Even he knew this was a disaster waiting to happen. Was he trying to lose an arm?!

Sitting up away from the warmth, he pulled at it, trying to see how bad it was. Hands covered his, just as dirty, stopping him. “Don’t look at it.”

He froze, every muscle in his body locked in surprise and a little pain from his arm. “Ryou?”

He laughed, moving around him to sit in front of him, hands still over his so he didn’t remove the cloth. “Were you expecting someone else?”

He blushed, unsure how to feel or what to think. “No.”

Ryou’s smile was the same, soft and kind, though the deep scar under his right eye was new. Reflexively he reached up and felt it, surprised by how deep it was. He wanted to know what happened but he felt he’d already made an idiot out of himself enough. Ryou laughed, laying his hand over Yuugi’s. “You’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?”

“Making me self conscious.”

“I’m sorry!”

He laughed, looking back down at Yuugi’s bandaged wrist. “It’s getting worse.”

“Yeah. We should change the wrapping on it. It looks infected.”

Ryou looked up at him like he’d lost his mind. “It is infected.”

“And that’s a good thing?”

He quirked a brow and took Yuugi’s face in his hands, moving forward to press his lips to his forehead. When he sat back he muttered under his breath and glared down at his wrist, “it’s getting worse.”

Well of course it is! It’s infected. What did he think was going to happen? Yuugi watched him adjust to stretch his leg out and laid Yuugi’s wrist over another bandage as if comparing both wounds. “You’re hurt too?”

“You forgetting things is making me nervous.”

“Why?”

“I was hoping not to forget when it happens.”

When what happens?! Yuugi’s mind reeled watching Ryou peel back the bandage from his leg, revealing a very infected and agitated bite. He didn’t want to know what was under his and he looked away when Ryou undid his bandage too. “Hmmmm. I wonder why it’s affecting you more. They look the same to me.”

He glanced at the bite on his wrist, oozing the yellowish green puss and blood, swollen, red, jagged. He gagged.

“Sorry. I just…” Ryou quickly grabbed the old bandage and wrapped it back over Yuugi’s wrist while he watched him in absolute horror.

“Stop! What are you doing? It won’t get any better if-”

“Better?”

“Okay I don’t know what’s going on. You caught me. Tell me why you’re doing that. It doesn’t make any sense.” Yuugi rushed through his words, getting more worked up as he looked at both of the bites on them. “Where are we? Where is everyone?”

He looked around the dark room for the first time realizing it wasn’t a bedroom. It was a living room with two sleeping bags unzipped and laid over each other in the middle. The sofa was torn to shreds and stained with something black and the rest of the furniture broken and covered in dust. The windows all around them were boarded up with literally anything that was flat, book shelves, table tops, plywood and plastic. 

“What’s going on?”

“Yuugi, calm down.”

“I can’t calm down! Look at us!”

Ryou sighed, pushing himself up on his feet and stood. “Let’s go back to sleep.”

“And bleed everywhere?!”

He laughed and held his hands out to him. “Come on. I think I have something else to wrap your wrist.”

He reluctantly took Ryou’s hand and let him lead him to the sleeping bags. Sitting down on them, the sound of the nylon shifting filled the room making him wince. It was too loud. Ryou knelt down and sifted through a ratty back pack, pulling out another tee shirt. He wound his fists into it and yanked, ripping it in half. That was impressive.

Ryou laughed, at him and gestured for him to give him his hand. “So you don’t remember anything?”

“I remember you.”

Ryou paused and looked up at him. He tried not to blush at how he was looking at him, how desperately sweet it was. “That has to count for something.”

“So uh what happened?”

“We were scavenging for food. Almost made it to the haven in the center of Domino but we were attacked. We both got bit saving Mokuba. They uh… they left us behind so they could get to the haven. We’re headed to the game shop.”

“Why?”

“Why not. They won’t bother us.”

“They?”

He gestured with his free hand to the boarded up windows. “The zombies.”

“Zombies?!” Yuugi yanked his hand out of Ryou’s and bolted to his feet staring at the bite on it. “Are you telling me we’re going to die?!”

Ryou sighed and the look he gave him broke his heart just as much as the tears in Atem’s eyes. Yes they were. And although he was making a big deal out of it, Ryou was just taking what little time he had left. He felt like an ass. “I give up.”

“Don’t give up,” Ryou whispered, his voice wavering, “we’re in this together right?”

He sighed, sitting back down on the loud nylon sleeping bags and laid his hand over Ryou’s. “Yeah. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Ryou said, a small smile trying to form at the corner of his mouth. “It’s not your fault. I don’t regret it. We promised Kaiba. It was worth it.” He leaned forward pressing his forehead to Yuugi’s. “I know it’s really selfish, but I’m glad you’re here with me.”

He screwed his eyes shut and swallowed the lump in his throat formed by the question of where Kaiba was. If they were looking out for Mokuba, that meant he was dead. How was he supposed to leave this dimension? He was stuck. Stuck and about to die.

Ryou leaned back and began to wrap his wrist again. Yuugi just stared at it blankly unmoving even after he finished and went on to wrap his leg. He was stuck here. Never getting out. Never going home. Never telling Atem he was sorry for his weakness and never telling Kaiba he was right. 

Ryou wrapped his arms around him and pulled him down on the loud nylon sleeping bags, burying his hands in his hair again, tenderly massaging the back of his neck and scalp. He fell asleep, his mind, heart, and body completely numb.

—

The sun was bright, birds still flying through the air. If he focused on the sky it wasn’t so jarring. The street Ryou and he walked down hand in hand was a different story. Cars littered it, smashed into each other, into buildings into guard rails, abandoned with all doors open, some with only one door open and a rotting corpse picked free of flesh spilling onto the road. Ryou didn’t pay any attention to it, almost like he was desensitized to it. Yuugi learned a little too quickly how bad it really was. One of the cars had a car seat in it…

Even in the bright morning sun, death walked about, passing them by, charging and snarling past them towards anything that moved that wasn’t dead. They weren’t dead, but the zombies hardly paid them a glance. Apparently they knew. 

Everything may be broken and abandoned, haunted by gurgles and snarls but it was home. He recognized the street names, the shops, the people. This was domino city just a block away from the game shop. He walked it all his life. Tightening his grip on Ryou’s hand, he wondered if he could stomach seeing how bad the game shop had to look. If it was just as smashed up, looted, burned and destroyed as his favorite burger place or the bookstore at the corner. 

He paused, staring at that bookstore even when Ryou tugged on his hand. Who else was dead? What would they do when they finally… Would he hurt Ryou? Would Ryou hurt him? Was this what they’re lives would be like until-

A shot rang out and Yuugi jumped, glancing back down the road to a jeep, several people in military gear leaned out of it, guns pointed right at him. Ryou pulled on his hand, “Run!”

They ran down the street towards the game shop. They should be safe hiding in there. At the very least, Yuugi knew how to weave around the alleyways to get away from them. Who were they?! He looked over his shoulder while they ran, seeing the jeep sped into the intersection and turned, the tires sliding on the asphalt. The sound drew out a lot of the dead, they had to weave through them rushing the opposite direction. He lost Ryou in the panic. More shots. He had to keep running. 

They made it through, still running towards the shop when he saw it. It was a sight for sore eyes, still like it was before though the glass in the front was shattered. Close enough. He turned, seeing Ryou running to catch up with him, he limped a little and Yuugi stopped, holding his hand out to him. 

“Go! I’ll-”

He didn’t hear it. He should’ve heard it. Should’ve seen where it came from, but he didn’t. 

Blood. 

It dripped from a small bullet wound in Ryou’s forehead, silencing his thoughts, silencing his words. He slumped to his knees and fell on the pavement. Dead. Ryou was dead. “ _ Ryou _ !”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the men in the jeep look at him, point their guns at him as well. He ran. He couldn’t stay there. He ran as fast as he could down the street to the shop door and shoved it open. He didn’t bother closing it as he leaped over the fallen display shelves towards the stairs. More gunshots, more shattered glass. He kept running up the stairs to his room. 

That door he closed, pressing his back against it while the sound of the jeep sped past, more gunshots, more screaming… laughing.  _ Why? _

His legs couldn’t hold him up anymore, he sank down to the ground curling into himself. Poor Ryou… He didn’t deserve that. Clenching his fist, feeling sharp pain tear through his arm into his shoulder, he looked forward to it all being over. At least he wouldn’t need to worry about being alone. 

“…Yuugi…”

Was he already dead? There was no way he heard Kaiba. Looking up over his folded arms on his knees, he couldn’t breathe. Kaiba sat at the foot of his bed in a strangely uncomfortable way. Blood dripped from his chin and covered at least half of his face and hands resting on the bed. His eyes were dead, white, matte, and chillingly focused on him. “Kaiba? …Is that really you?”

He nodded slowly, expressionless.

“You look like shit.”

Kaiba didn’t move, didn’t twitch and didn’t blink. Maybe he was imagining things. When he did finally speak, the raspy strain in it, like he had to focus on every letter and how it sounded, took Yuugi by surprise.“…You’re… alive.”

He lifted his bandaged wrist and sighed, “Not really.”

“…Need… to leave… then.”

Yuugi sighed, breathing out the dread he had built up. “Yeah.” But Kaiba didn’t move, still staring at him with chilling focus. “Does that hurt?”

He didn’t answer, still staring at him then his lips twitched. “…I feel…nothing.”

“Sounds wonderful,” he muttered, laying his forehead on his arms.

He wished he could feel nothing. He felt too much to pick at, too much to name. This wasn’t his world. Neither was the one before it or the one before that. It didn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter. It wasn’t him. It wasn’t his friends. It wasn’t Ryou. Ryou wasn’t dead. His friends didn’t hate him. Atem didn’t love him. 

_ Was that supposed to make him feel better? _

“… Isn’t bad…”

“Maybe we should just stay here then. What’s the point? Watch everything fall apart in a million different ways?”

Silence hung in the air while Yuugi tried to keep himself together. He figured Kaiba was working up how to argue with him since it took him a considerable amount of effort to just talk to him. That wasn’t fair of him. The last he could do was wait. 

“…I’m hungry.” Yuugi looked up at him, the corner of his mouth twitched up in a haunting smirk, the blood dripping into his lap. “Must be… how… Wheeler feels… all the time.”

He wanted to laugh. He did. All he managed to do was lay his head back down on his arms.

“Owe me. Need to… go back.”

“Atem owes you.”

“You… and him.”

“I told you I was sorry.”

“Why… did you run?”

He took a deep breath and leaned his head back against the door, closing his eyes. “I never tried.”

“To… what? Not run?”

He slowly opened his eyes trying to suppress the shiver from the focus of those matted white eyes staring back at him. It’s only Kaiba. This isn’t what Kaiba was. Kaiba wasn’t dead. “Yeah.”

“…Not… buying it.” 

“You wouldn’t understand.”

He tilted his head with short and jerky movements that sent sickening pops echoing the room. “…Try me.”

“You don’t care Kaiba. Why bother?”

“I… don’t care. Wonder… if that… will… change my… answer.”

Looking away from those hauntingly vacant white eyes towards his room, he sighed. It, unlike the rest of the shop, was untouched by destruction, but not by time. Everything was dirty, muted, covered in dust or ash. He wondered if Duel Monsters existed in this dimension. His room was vacant of any signs of it, though  _ his _ room was that way since Atem left in his as well. Couldn’t… couldn’t look at it. It was hard enough trying to keep a smile while Joey talked about it. 

“I thought I was doing the right thing. It’s what I thought he wanted. He earned it. He deserved to get what he wanted.”

“Have… you earned… nothing?”

He smiled, laughter bubbling up from deep within him. “No. I haven’t earned anything. All I’ve earned is a lot of bittersweet memories and my friends…but it's not… I haven’t even earned your respect and I’ve saved the world and you a lot.”

“… Can’t respect… idiotic… decisions.”

“Saving the world and helping you are bad decisions?”

“Yes. Real heroes… are… forgotten. Nothing to… earn… there. And trying to… save me… is a… naive… notion.”

Yuugi lifted his head off the door, locking eyes with him no matter how much it unnerved him. 

“One… you both… have.”

“You’re our friend.”

“Tired… of hearing… that.”

“I thought you said you couldn’t feel anything.”

“I… won’t… forget that. You both… make shitty… decisions. Not a… feeling. It… is a… fact.”

“You say that, but you respect Atem.”

“I… do.”

He sighed and looked own at the damp rag wrapped around his wrist. “What-”

A thud on the other side of the door made him clamp his mouth shut. He definitely heard something on the other side of the door. Probably another zombie. He didn’t think anything off it. What was another zombie going to do? But the bed springs creaked as Kaiba stood up. “Open… the door.”

“Why?”

“Open it.”

He frowned and pushed himself up to his feet. Kaiba kept staring at the door ignoring him. It was weird. He wasn’t calm and still, his fingers twitched and he swayed slightly like he was prepared to run. Where was he going to run to? He turned to the door and grabbed the knob, quirking a brow at more thuds, like something was running away from the door. He opened it and stepped out, gasping. Atem ran down the hall towards the stairs. “Wait!”

He looked at him, panicked, and didn’t slow down at all. Next thing he knew, he was shoved into the wall. Kaiba bolted past him, tearing down the hall after Atem. It clicked. Kaiba was a zombie, he said he was hungry and Atem was very much alive. 

He had to stop him! “Kaiba!”

He ran as fast as he could down the hall and slid down the banister to the bottom floor. He caught sight of Kaiba, running after Atem out of the shop and down the street. Running after them, panic like none he’d ever felt before gripped him like a vice around his chest. If those guys came back and shot Kaiba, or him, what would happen to them? What if he didn’t get to Kaiba in time to stop him from hurting Atem? Kaiba might not feel anything in this dimension but when they jumped he would. He’d remember. He should’ve just left when they had the chance. Kaiba was right. He made stupid decisions.

He panted, watching them bolt around a corner up ahead. He tried to run faster, sliding in the debris at the corner before charging after them. “Kaiba stop!”

“You realize that’s a zombie right?!” 

Yuugi tried not to laugh, surprised that Atem responded to him. “You have a better idea?!”

“Not dying is the idea!”

“Then run faster!”

Atem made a hard left across the street, jumping up on a car hood and then jumping up to the semi parked behind it. He almost didn’t make it to the top before Kaiba jumped, reaching for his ankle. Atem pulled himself up just in time, Kaiba missed and fell inbetween the car and the semi. Yuugi ran up to him and tried to talk to him but it was like he didn’t know he was there. “Kaiba.”

He made a weird growling sound and ran around the back of the semi, probably trying to find a way to get up there. Yuugi sighed and looked up at Atem, getting up onto the top of the trailer. “Are you alright up there?”

“For now… Why isn’t he attacking you?”

Yuugi held up his wrist and Atem’s frown disappeared, replaced by a sympathetic sigh, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Why were you in the shop?”

“I thought I heard someone talking.” 

Yuugi felt guilty about that. If he were alone in a place like this he’d probably do the same thing. He walked around the back of the trailer to see if he could find Kaiba. He did. Easily. Groaning and snarling at a trailer, Kaiba was still trying to figure out how to get up there. Stepping back so he could see Atem better, he cupped his hands over his mouth. “You need to find somewhere else.”

“Why? He can’t get up here. Zombies aren’t that smart.”

“Yeah, don’t count on it for that one.” Yuugi smiled, glancing at Kaiba who was well on his way to figuring it out. 

“You could be more helpful.”

He could be. “Uh… hold on.”

Walking back over to the car, he eyed it up to see if he could make it up to Atem. He should be able too. He backed up and took a run for it, jumping up onto the car and then the semi. He slipped, but managed to keep his hold, pulling himself up onto the back. Once he was up there, Atem smirked at him, turning his attention back down to Kaiba. “I’d hurry. He’ll be up here soon.”

“Can you make it to that?” Yuugi asked, pointing to a balcony a few feet away. 

“Yes.” 

Yuugi tried not to laugh at how overly confident he sounded. “Are you sure? It’s pretty far.”

“I’d rather not get eaten if it’s all the same to you.” He backed up to stand beside Yuugi, exhaled sharply then ran down the trailer, jumping right at the edge of it to reach for the balcony. 

His chest tingled watching him. It was impressive. Once he was over the balcony railing, Atem sighed, leaning heavily on it and trying to catch his breath. “What’s your name?”

“Yuugi.”

“Well Yuugi, are you coming?”

“I uh… no. I can’t make it up there, and even if I could, I’m dead anyway.”

“You know, I heard the haven has a cure for those just bitten. You made it up there. It can’t have been that long since that happened.”

He looked down at his wrist and sighed. He doubted it. More likely than not they were telling people that so they could kill them when they got close. It was a nice thought though. “You should go. I’ll be fine.”

Atem didn’t like that response, it was clear by his frown and how he remained leaning on the railing staring at him. 

“See… what I… mean? Idiotic… decisions.”

Atem blinked, standing up straight and staring down at Kaiba. “Did- did he just talk?!”

Yuugi walked over to the edge of the trailer. Kaiba stood there, glaring up at Atem. “Stop… being an… idiot and… go.”

“You can talk?!”

Kaiba probably would’ve rolled his eyes or fired a witty retort to that had he not been a zombie trying really hard just to function at any level. Yuugi still thought up at least 3 good responses Kaiba could’ve said as he shuffled and turned to look up at him on the trailer. “Let’s… go. If he… wants… to get… eaten… let him.”

“Wait! Where are you going to go?”

He knew what Kaiba meant, out of the dimension, but honestly, if he had to stay in this one, he’d be getting the hell out of Domino City. There was at least one armed vehicle roaming the streets shooting at anyone they could see, regardless of life or not. Where there’s one, there’s more. It wasn’t worth it. 

“Uh… We don’t know yet,” he lied, walking back to the semi cab, hoping to climb down that way.

Kaiba followed him, matte white eyes focused on him. “Don’t… break your… leg.”

“What’s that going to matter?” Yuugi laughed, sitting on the edge of the trailer to hop onto the cab.

Kaiba watched him, slowly rounding the side that he assumed Yuugi would come down at. He was right, but still. The window of the cab was open, perfect for him to put his foot on to climb down. The space between the window and the kick bar was a different story. He thought he had it but he didn’t. His foot kept going, that terrifying feeling of his stomach in his throat like missing the last step on the stairs. He gasped, trying to grab the handle of the Semi cab’s door, but his fingers just grazed it. 

Kaiba caught him, both stumbling back, but they didn’t fall. The semi shimmered gold and Atem pushed up on the balcony railing to check and make sure he didn’t get hurt. He smiled before he too was turned to gold. 

“Lucky… I’m here.”


	7. Hospital Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba's worst fear comes to life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 6 AUgust Hospital AU

Kaiba opened his eyes, staring at a hand wrapped in his on a thick itchy blanket. The hand was so small… Lifting his head, he looked around the room. A hospital room, devoid of much aside from him and a thick gray teddy bear sitting at the foot of the bed with red metallic balloons in its paw. ‘Get Well Soon’ stitched onto the stomach in red letters, a card lodged in it’s foot. He frowned, following the lumps in the blanket up to a very pale face. “Moki?”

He didn’t move, didn't stir. Even when he squeezed his hand he laid there on his back white as a sheet with tubes coming out of his nose and mouth. “Mokuba.” 

No response. Nothing. 

He bolted up out of his chair and fumbled around for any of the doctors papers and notes. A clipboard at the end of the bed did little to calm his nerves. Coma. Car accident. Life support… He glanced at the machines settled around Mokuba’s bed. He was barely hanging on. What the hell kind of nightmare was this? He shoved the clipboard back into the plastic cubby and stormed out of the room, glaring down the hallway for the nurses station. 

_ Tea. _ He grit his teeth watching her lean on the counter giggling with a nurse. She was a doctor and if he wasn’t mistaken, she was the doctor on clipboard. She should be doing her damn job! He stormed up to her, even more annoyed by the look of surprise on her face. “Mr. Kaiba is everything alright?”

No. Nothing was alright. He’d gone through too much to be faced with this and every single word he said, screaming it at the top of his lungs, held all the frustration he’d carried over from the moment he agreed to bring Yuugi along to his rematch with Atem to waking up to one of his worst fears. She kept backing up, he kept following her until someone grabbed him by his arms, yanking him back. He turned his fury to them, but it wasn’t security or any staff at the hospital, it was Atem. He pulled him back, murmuring a million apologies while Yuugi swept past them to Tea, apologizing and saying he didn’t mean any of it, he was just upset. Fuck him!

Atem shoved him back towards Mokuba’s room, drawing the curtain like it was some kind of sound proof door. This was the last room he wanted to be in let alone have a conversation in. Atem sighed, frowning at Mokuba then him. “If you do that again, they’ll keep you from seeing him.”

“They need to be doing their damn jobs not sitting around gossiping while kids are dying!”

Atem sighed, “They’re doing the best they can. How many times do we have to tell you that? I know you’re worried and I know this is hard. It’s hard for all of us. Just…” He trailed off and buried a hand in his hair, gritting his teeth together.

Atem looked tired, bags under his eyes, clothes wrinkled like he slept in them. Glancing down at himself he looked the same. Why would he look like that too? Atem walked away, crossing the room to a chair on the other side of Mokuba’s bed. Why was he pissed off? Why was he even there? This wasn’t his little brother!

Atem sat down, crossing an ankle over his knee. “Never mind.”

The curtain moved and Yuugi walked in with a tray of coffee cups and some prepackaged snacks. He froze mid shift of the curtain, looking at Mokuba. Slowly he turned his gaze to Kaiba, blinked then shut the curtain, refusing to look at him again as he walked over to Atem, handing him the tray of coffee and snacks. “Come on Kaiba. Let’s go for a walk.”

“No.”

Yuugi looked directly at him, saying “please” with too much emphasis not to mean something else. He muttered under his breath and stormed out of the room again, turning the corner away from the nurses station. Yuugi ran after him, not stopping him or saying a word. Good. If he did try, he’d probably punch him. None of this would’ve happened if Yuugi had a spine and just dealt with his shit instead of dragging him into a mess he never wanted to deal with!

He found the elevators and stepped into the first one that opened, not bothering to stall it for Yuugi who barely made it in. He panted, trying to catch his breath and leaned against the side of the elevator. “We need to go.”

“No.”

“You can’t do anything different for him than the Kaiba who belongs in this dimension can.”

“Try me.”

“You’re not doing this alone here. I can’t really explain it, but trust me. We need to leave. We’ll make things worse if we stay.”

“The only thing I’d trust you with, Mutou, is turning an already abysmal situation ten times worse by touching it. We’re staying and you’re staying out of it!”

The doors opened and he sped past Yuugi, knocking him back into the elevator, hoping the doors would close before he could catch up. Every dimension they’d traveled to showed a version of him who couldn’t find their way out of a paper bag and he was sick of it. Sick of the thought that they were remotely a form of him. Mokuba deserved better than that. He still hadn’t talked to him. He needed to talk to him.

Next thing he knew, a blur of spiky hair dashed around him and stopped right in front of him. Reflexively he grabbed a hold of him, coming to a full stop. “What the hell are you doing, Mutou?”

The hallway shimmered gold as he turned to look up at him grinning ear to ear. “Saving you.”


	8. Buddy System

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuugi and Kaiba find themselves in a lake. Yuugi's pretty sure this is paradise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 7 AUgust Childhood Friends AU

Yuugi wiped his eyes, trying to get the water out of them, only to realize his hands were soaked too. He blinked and shook his head, searching the water all around him. He was in a lake. A cool lake on a hot summer day. Glancing at the laughter and screams, he saw a boy who looked a lot like Joey and one who was holding onto the rope too tight for Yuugi to see his face mid swing towards. They let go and both fell into the water, splashing the rest of the kids on the tree and him. He laughed, looking back at where they’d jumped in.

The boy who looked like Joey if he was about 7 popped up laughing and calling back to the tree of kids, “Your turn!”

One of the boys, blocked by the tree, called down, “Not until you move Joey.”

“Oh come on. It’s fine.”

“I’m not getting in trouble.”

“Yeah!” A girl their age with brown pigtails (who he couldn’t believe looked like Tea) shouted to him, “You got us in trouble last time!”

“No one’s lookin’. Just jump.”

Yuugi stopped paying attention to them, swimming closer. The other boy hadn’t come up yet. Why didn’t they notice? He sighed bubbles into the water before taking a deep breath and diving down. The woes of being an adult he supposed. The boy was probably fine and he was worried for no reason, but what if he wasn’t? 

He could barely see in the murky water but luckily for him, he actually ran into him. The boy grabbed him, nails digging into his shoulders. With Yuugi’s fears and concerns realized, he pulled him up, swimming with him to the surface. The boy didn’t let go of him and he had to blink the water out of his eyes to see. “Kaiba?!”

He coughed and spat out water, gasping for air, eyes wide and panicked. “I hate you. I hate you so much. You’re lucky I can’t swim or I’d drown you!”

“Seto, are you okay?” One of the boys jumped into the water from the tree and swam over to them. Yuugi gasped, recognizing him despite being about the same age as Kaiba and the boy who looked like Joey. It was Atem! So they all were… and he was… They were kids! “What happened? Did you hit the water weird? That happened to Tristan.”

“I’m fine. Go away.”

Atem rolled his eyes and smiled at Yuugi. “That was quick thinking.”

He lifted his shoulders, or tried to with the death grip he had from Kaiba. 

“Seto!” A woman called from the shore, “What are you doing out there?! You know you can’t swim.”

Joey cackled, slapping the water. “I knew it!”

Kaiba gave Yuugi a look that would suck the soul out of anyone who received it, but not this time. He couldn’t bring himself to be threatened by a little kid with bright pink cheeks and matted down hair. “I will kill you.”

“That’s the cutest glare I’ve ever gotten before in my life,” he said, grinning ear to ear and trying really hard not to laugh. 

Kaiba grit his teeth and tightened his grip on his shoulders. 

“Ow ow ow! Okay! I take it back!”

“I’d rather you were closer to the shore,” she called again.

Yuugi turned to see a woman who looked a lot like Mokuba, dark hair and sunglasses, with a little boy maybe 3 standing in the shallow water beaming at them. 

“The boy’s fine. He needs to learn sometime.” 

Just behind her on the sandy lakeside was Grandpa laughing and his mom… and dad all sitting in folded chairs with several other adults at the edge of the lake, fishing poles in hand. Some of them he recognized: Tristan’s dad, Tea’s parents and Joey’s mom. Serenity, about 3 or 4, sat in the shallow part of the lake pouting at them. 

Their parents weren’t friends like this. They didn’t even know each other. It was weird, and… warming to see them all together and happy.

“Atem, come get Mokuba,” a man said from beside Yuugi’s Grandpa, waving for him to come to the beach. 

“Okay dad.”

Yuugi blinked, staring at Atem as he swam to the shore to pick up Mokuba from who he assumed was Kaiba’s mom. 

“Is… is that your real mom?” Yuugi asked softly, watching Atem take Mokuba and put him up on his shoulders in the water. 

“…Yes.”

Yuugi swam them further out into the deeper part of the lake, not to freak Kaiba out more, but so he could take in all of it. Everyone was so happy, it was so nice outside; bright and sunny, a warm almost cloudless sky of bright blue, cool crisp water and the smell of sunscreen and trees. Atem had a normal life with his dad here. His mom was probably here somewhere too. All of them were there. He smiled. His Atem would’ve loved to be here.

Joey bobbed up in the water shouting to the shore while Tea took a run on the rope, jumping into the lake. “Hey mom can I get sis?”

“I guess…”

Joey took off for the shore, passing Atem and Mokuba. Yuugi just couldn’t wrap his head around it. For as awful as all the other dimensions were, this one was… like a vacation. But Kaiba felt very different about it, glowering at everything he could see, still holding onto him with a grip that he swore left bruises. “Relax Kaiba.”

“Relax? I’m in the middle of a lake that I can’t touch the bottom of and I can’t swim. If I ‘relax’ I’ll die.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

Kaiba scoffed, turning his glower to Atem who stopped at a point in the lake that he could stand so Mokuba could stay on his shoulders. He snickered but Kaiba’s scowl deepened. 

“What’s so damn funny?”

Atem blinked in surprise. Tea gasped. “You can’t say that!”

And the glowering was back to him. “I’ll kill you. Move. I’m ready to go.”

He tried to spin him, but Yuugi backed up. Kaiba panicked and reached out for him again, digging his nails in his shoulders. 

“Relax Seto,” Atem said, smiling, “We’ll teach you how to swim. Right Tea?”

“Sure!” She swam up to Atem and bumped into him making Mokuba sway and giggle on his shoulders. “My mom taught me. She said if you learn how to float the rest is a piece of cake.”

“That’s how I learned.”

Joey laughed swimming up to Atem’s other side. “Dad just threw me in. Ya figure it out fast.”

“That explains a lot about you in general,” Kaiba muttered, making Yuugi laugh. 

“I took classes,” Tristan called from near the tree, “but I’d rather not.”

“Are ya gonna get in or am I gettin’ ya?”

“I’m stuck.”

“Just jump.”

“I can’t. It’s too high.”

“You did it once already Tristan,” Atem called up to him, “just jump again.”

Yuugi smiled watching him shake his head, frowning at the water and get closer to the tree. A vacation, a restart, an ‘everything hasn’t happened yet’, an ‘anything is possible’, ‘anything is reachable’ and an ‘everything is right here’ dimension. Why did Kaiba want to leave? His parents were right there on the beach, Atem was right there with Mokuba on his shoulders. Isn’t this what he wanted? 

“Are you afraid of water?”

Kaiba straightened and glared at him more. “No!”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I don’t need to explain myself to you.”

“Well your stuck with me till we get back so you might as well.”

The hatred in his eyes didn’t budge, but it shifted past him towards the beach. Yuugi looked at his friends all shouting encouragement to Tristan so he’d jump. Each shout made him smile and he watched Tristan get up enough bravery and courage to take the rope and jump, swinging out to the lake and splashing into the water. Tea swam up to him to make sure he was okay and they all shouted praises that he did it. It was sweet, all of them were so small. He forgot being this small. Though he was always small to begin with. He supposed he never noticed. 

Kaiba sighed and he looked back at him, still glaring at the beach. “I’m past this. I don’t want to go back. I want to go forward. I can’t do that here.”

“Sure you can. That’s the whole point. Starting over.”

“I don’t want to start over. I have what I want ahead of me, staying here will put that too far ahead, I’d be back tracking.”

“But Kaiba, those are your parents.”

“They are someone else’s parents. Mine have been dead for a decade and they left me nothing I’ve missed.”

He pressed his lips together and sighed through his nose. He didn’t understand, but it wasn’t his place to understand. It’s what Kaiba wanted, he had to respect that. Nodding he let go of him, wincing when he tightened his grip on his shoulders and laid his hands over his. “At least let me show you how to swim. Then we can leave and I’ll never bring any of this up again.”

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed. “What’s the catch?”

“You’re going to have to deal with all of us for a few hours.”

“I’d rather drown.”

Yuugi laughed, throwing his head back and reaching out to pull Kaiba along to the part of the lake they could touch. “Oh come on Seto. It’ll be great!”

And just like he’d hoped, his laughter pulled the attention of his friends. Point for Yuugi.

All day, until the sky dimmed to a beautiful splash of oranges, reds, and pinks, they showed Kaiba how to swim; stopping only once for dinner. They called it barbecue but Kaiba and Yuugi both agreed, this was nothing like barbecue. The ‘meat’ tasted like steak, though they said it was chicken, and the potato chips tasted like deep fried croutons. It was good, but… the opposite of what he thought he was eating. 

With Kaiba a little more confident he wasn’t going to drown, Atem convinced him to play a game. How he convinced him to play this game was still a mystery. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing, giggling beside Joey and Serenity, Mokuba in his arms cheering for Kaiba to win. Atem sat on top of Tea’s shoulders and Kaiba was on Tristan’s trying to knock the other off. He needed a picture of this. He needed this day to just go on forever. They played once, but it was more than enough. 

Kaiba lost and Yuugi was still laughing when he swam up and pulled him against his chest. “It’s not funny.”

The lake shimmered gold, the sunset’s beautiful colors melded into the shimmer as well. He just hugged Mokuba tighter, happy to hear his tiny but loud laughter. 


	9. Good Triumphs Over Evil! (or some other form of innuendo)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuugi realizes being the 'damsel' in distress has its perks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 8 AUgust Superhero/Superpowers AU

Yuugi gasped as a bag was yanked off his head. Trying to adjust to the bright lights around him, he struggled to move, only to meet resistance. He was tied to a chair. Why was he tied to a chair?! “Where am I?”

“When you figure that out, let me know.”

Glancing up at Kaiba, he blinked, widened his eyes, and leaned as far back in the chair as he could taking in all of Kaiba dressed like… well Batman. Maybe not the theme… He tilted his head to the side trying to work out what the hell he was supposed to look like.

“If you continue to do that I’m putting the bag back on your head.”

Yuugi lifted his shoulders as much as he could with his arms tied to the chair and tried not to laugh. “Good luck. I’m still shocked you got that over my hair to begin with.”

Kaiba almost smiled. He saw it, so close! But something beeped destroying it before it started. “Intruder approaching,” said a female mechanical voice, from no particular direction. 

Yuugi watched him turn completely and walk over to a crescent shaped desk of computer equipment straight ahead of him. Staring at his back, Yuugi wanted to laugh at the black cape hitting his heels, Kaiba looked ridiculous, but he didn’t feel like laughing. He furrowed his brow, absentmindedly watching Kaiba mess with the equipment, bringing up screens with writing too small for him to read from where he was. What got into him? 

Kaiba turned to the side and looked down at his hands then pressed something on his forearm. Yuugi quirked a brow as the black wit up with the same glowing blue as his duel disk from their dimension in a similar design from his boots to his shoulders on his suit. A screen appeared over his left eye and the symbol of a dragon glowed on the black cape. “That’s better.”

Yuugi laughed, shaking his head. Kind of… maybe better. It would be for Kaiba he supposed. He pressed another button on his forearm and the room shook from the ceiling splitting, pouring sunlight into the room. The writing on the screen disappeared and a video popped up of Atem flying through the air toward them like Superman. He looked just as ridiculous as Kaiba did when he first saw him, but he changed his mind when Atem dropped into the room. 

He landed on the balls of his feet, his long coat flowing behind him from the force. He stood tall, confident, and clenched his fists, swirling with gold light at his sides, the eye of wadjet embroidered on the back of his black and red coat. Yuugi took all that was Atem how he remembered him, strong, confident, ready for anything and standing tall, not lost, hurt, tired, and alone. 

Atem turned, glancing over his shoulder at him and smirked. Yuugi felt his heart skip a beat. “Are you alright, partner?”

“Yep. I’m great.”

Kaiba scoffed. 

Yuugi leaned to the side as much as he could so he could see Kaiba while Atem turned his attention back to him, pointing at him with his golden hand. “Thought you could hide him from me, Dragon? Our bond transcends all distance, and even the most impenetrable prison.”

“Aww.” He couldn’t stop himself. It was obnoxiously corny but still, sweet.

Kaiba rolled his eyes. “You’ve got to be joking.”

“This fight is between us.”

“Are you sure you want that?”

Atem stood taller, lowering his fists to his sides. “Good must triumph over evil.”

Kaiba grinned, arms crossed over his chest, his fingers pressing another button on his forearm. “I’m so glad you feel that way.”

Yuugi gasped as the ground shook again, a mechanical blue eyes white dragon, larger than he’d ever seen before in his life, rose up from somewhere behind the computer equipment, dripping water. It roared and the sound was deafening, making Yuugi flinch trying to raise his bound hands to cover his ears but that wasn’t going to happen. Atem didn’t flinch. 

“Impressive,” he said nonchalantly. “Compensating for something?”

Kaiba snarled, dropping his arms down to his sides and the dragon took that as a que, lunging with its mouth wide open for Atem. Yuugi watched on in awe as Atem back flipped over him and out of the path of the mechanical dragon’s jaws. The ropes dropped from his arms, he was free! But Atem scooped him up out of the chair before he could breathe, shooting into the air. Yuugi screamed and wrapped his arms around his neck for dear life. 

Atem’s laughter in his ear along with the roar of the salty wind did little to calm his nerves. He had no idea where they were going or what was going on, staring wide eyed and panicked at Kaiba’, climbing up onto the dragon and disappearing into the clear glass plate over it’s head. It roared again and took off after them. “Atem!”

Atem glanced over his shoulder and laughed again. “Oh, must’ve struck a nerve with that one. I’ll have to remember that for next time.”

“Next time?!”

Yuugi screamed again as Atem switched directions diving down with the giant mechanical dragon hot on his tail. “Can’t you go faster?!”

“That’s not how the game works, partner,” he purred and kissed his cheek. “Hold your breath.”

“What?”

The mechanical dragon opened it’s jaws, rows and rows of saw blades spinning too fast to see the jagged edges he knew they had to have. He sucked in a deep breath to scream, but it never left his lips. They broke through the waves, not slowing down a bit. He risked opening his eyes, shocked that the dragon was still following them. Atem rose back up and they shot out of the water. Yuugi held him even tighter, watching the droplets of water pour from his hair and clothes into the dragons waiting open mouth. “Atem!!!!”

Atem laughed, holding onto him tighter. “Alright, alright. I’ve had my fun.”

Yuugi thought he was going to die; saw his life flash before his eyes as they shot into the dragon's mouth. He couldn’t even scream.

Gold flashed, momentarily blinding him and the force of being ripped out of the dragon's mouth before it closed knocked the wind out of him. He coughed, desperately trying to breathe, losing all sense of direction. Then it all stopped. He panted, still holding onto Atem when he set him down, hands resting firmly on his hips. “Better?”

“I… I need a drink.”

He laughed, letting go of his hips in order to cup the sides of his face. “How about this instead?” he said, closing the space between them, stealing what little breath he’d managed to get back with a kiss. 

He kissed just like he did everything else in this dimension, all of his heart and soul up front, exciting, breathtaking, death defying. Then he stepped back, letting him go and he swayed. Atem winked, laughing and shooting into the air. Yuugi continued to watch him, walking to the edge of a cliff, feeling the spray of the powerful waves below. 

He needed to breathe.

Atem met the dragon in the air, smoke billowing from its mouth. The dragon tried to move it’s mouth but it appeared stuck. “Having technical difficulties, Dragon?” he taunted, pulling back a glowing fist and slamming it into the side of the dragon’s head, completely dislodging it.

Next thing he knew the glass plate over its head shattered and Kaiba shot out of it, flying into the air just like Atem, blue light glowing from his hands and arms as well as his boots. “There’s more than one way to crush an insect.”

“Firefly.”

“Glowworm at best.” Even from the cliff top he could see Kaiba smirk, raising his arm. The head of the dragon fell into the ocean, sucked up by the waves, but at the same time, three more heads rose out of it, screeching. 

“At least I’m not hiding,” Atem shouted, dodging a blast from one of the heads. “What’s wrong, Dragon? Don’t think you’ll defeat me on your own?”

“Call it an insurance plan.”

Yuugi shook his head, laughing, “Wow… They’re such dorks.”

If it weren’t for the fact that he knew, he KNEW from before Atem even showed up that this Kaiba was the one from his own dimension, he never would’ve guessed it. He just melded into the scene so perfectly. Why? All the other dimensions he fought against but this one he just jumped into and stuck with it. Yuugi watched them flying over the turbulent sea, taking shots at each other both physically and verbally. He wondered if they knew he was there anymore. Part of him hated that, it got under his skin and festered, but he couldn’t bring himself to address it. They looked so happy, like they were playing, despite the stakes being each other's lives or at the very least a lot of pain. Kaiba was smiling. He could see it from the cliff top and Atem matched it. 

He wasn’t watching two adults; a superhero and supervillain battling over the conundrum of good and evil. He was watching two little kids, just like they were in the dimension before, playing a big game of chicken. It echoed that so much his chest hurt. This… this was what Kaiba bent reality for. This was why Kaiba respected Atem. He met him head on playing the biggest most dangerous game they could think of, for the victory at the end but more so… for the game.

Watching them made him question his place in all of it. As much as he thought Kaiba was over the top on levels he couldn’t begin to grasp, he had to admit, Atem was just as bad. Why was he here? He was nothing like this. He was the one standing off to the side watching. Anyone can do that. Not everyone could do what they were, zipping through the air, trying to one up each other in any way they could think of, waiting for the tie to break. 

He couldn’t wrap his head around why Atem would want to kiss him like he did. He had nothing to offer him but standing there, helplessly watching from the sidelines. Why would he want that? 

Atem took a shot at Kaiba, and he lost his focus just long enough for him to fly above him. Yuugi helplessly watched on as Atem tore through the sky diving down and hitting Kaiba square in the chest. He didn’t stop, headed straight for the water. The dragon sputtered, without a command to keep it flying it too fell towards the waves. 

Yuugi fiddled with the hem of his jean pockets. He’d like to think that Atem wouldn’t kill him but… he knew nothing about this dimension. Waiting on the cliff top, he felt like he was going to get sick. Then something shot out of the waves, soaring through the air and landing on the cliff a few yards from him. 

Atem turned to face him with Kaiba in his arms like he weighed nothing. Both dripping wet but otherwise perfectly unharmed. Yuugi let out the breath he was holding. “You scared me.”

Kaiba coughed and pushed against Atem’s chest attempting to get out of his arms. He just laughed, letting him down to kneel on the ground. “Heh, I always do.” Atem stepped away from Kaiba, but not before patting him on the back. “You almost got me that time, Dragon.”

Kaiba coughed up water and glared at him. “Go to hell.”

Pleased with himself, he walked towards the cliff edge. “Try not to get kidnapped again, partner. I’ll be right back.”

He blushed, lifting his shoulders and watching him jump off the edge and fly through the air. Once he was out of earshot, Yuugi walked up to Kaiba smiling at him. “Did you have fun?”

“You can go to hell too.”

Laughing, he knelt down in front of Kaiba. “Well since you’re done playing, are you ready to go?”

“Aren’t you worried about getting kidnapped again?”

“How am I supposed to be the damsel in distress here if I’m not in distress?” When Kaiba scoffed, shaking off the water from his hands, Yuugi giggled, “And you’re clearly a professional. I’m still marveling how you got that bag over my head.”

Kaiba looked up and scoffed again, finally giving him the smile he didn’t get before, then he looked past him out onto the ocean. Yuugi turned to, watching Atem lift the mechanical dragon out of the water and carry it back to the place he woke up in. “We can stay for a while longer if you want.” He offered softly, turning back. Surprised that Kaiba wasn’t frustrated or smiling. He looked disappointed. 

“No. It’s time to leave.”

“Are you sure? I made you stay in the-”

Kaiba grabbed him and pulled him into his sopping wet arms. Yuugi tried not to look into it, though this felt a lot different than all the other time they’d jumped. The gold shimmered across the ocean waves, curling up into the sky. He felt warm, sopping wet but warm, stiff and awkward, Kaiba’s chin pressed into his shoulder. 


	10. Queen of the Nile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba found a dimension that has everything he could ever want. There's just a little problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 9 AUgust Royalty AU

Kaiba woke up pissed. Hot, sticky, muggy, weighted, and pissed. Why? Why was there SOMEONE ELSE in the bed with him again?! If he had to deal with one more blond idiotic harlot he’d- 

Sitting up, he looked around the moonlight bedroom. This was Atem’s chambers in the palace in Aaru. The smell of incense and oil, the heat with the cool breeze gently flowing in, the linen… They were back! “Yuugi!”

Not back. Not back at all. What the fuck was going on with his voice?! 

“She’s trying to sleep, like the rest of the palace was.” Atem huffed, sitting up and running his hand through his mess of tangles. “I’ll say that’s the last name I thought I’d hear come out of your mouth in the middle of the night.”

“She?!”

She?! He jumped out of bed and stormed towards the doorway. He knew his way around the palace by now, it should be easy to find him if Atem seemed to believe he was there. She was there. What the fuck was going on? He didn’t make it far, Atem wrapped a sheet of linen around him and practically threw him back on the bed. “Get off!”

“Not until you are dressed, _hem-etj_ ,” he said with a sickeningly sweet hum to his voice making it sound like a pet name. “I don’t care what you intended to do, though I do care about my wife running around the palace in the middle of the night without a drop of something to cover you. You’re for my eyes only. ”

“You’re eye- Wife? WIFE?!” He shoved him back and stood up, letting the linen fall to the ground and regretted it. 

Regretted a lot of things, but mostly regretted that he hadn’t even looked at himself yet. He was staring at Atem, kneeling over his thigh and standing up perfectly straight so he could see all of him. 

He completely forgot what he was doing…

“Are you alright?” Atem snickered, his grin softening to a concerned smile and laid back over him again. 

Kaiba locked up. All of these damn dimensions were messing with him. It’s the only thing that could explain why he couldn’t move and had to remind himself to breathe. He couldn’t even do that when Atem laid his weight on him and kissed his forehead. “You’re warm. Are you feeling ill?”

“I don’t know.”

Atem climbed off of him, pulling at his hip so he’d move. Where the hell was he wanting him to go? He sat up, ignoring him to look down at himself and grit his teeth together to keep from screaming. Why? WHY?!

“Come to bed. I’d rather you leave Yuugi alone.”

“I’d rather beat the shit out of hi-her.”

Atem laughed, wrapping his arms around him and physically dragging him onto the bed the rest of the way. He wasn’t that light! Why was it so damn hot in here? 

“I think you’ve made her life torturous enough. She’s only been here a season. I didn't think it was necessary to sneak snakes into her bed.”

“I can tell you it was.”

“So you admit it?”

“You can’t prove anything.”

He laughed, kissing his neck. Although it helped some of the dysphoria, he still felt uneasy. He should be insistent, getting dressed and hunting Yuugi down so he could get out of this dimension and this body, but- 

Glancing at Atem, already laying on the pillows with his eyes closed, he kind of wanted to see this through at least until the morning. If for no other reason… he owed Yuugi a few days of hell. 

—

Yuugi knew he should be used to this. Hell, he had to deal with it every day for gym class in the locker rooms at school, but somehow this was worse. The bath house was full of women and children of all ages. He had no idea who any of them were, never seen them before in his life, and to add to the isolation and feeling he didn’t belong, none of them acknowledged him. He sighed, trying not to look at the naked women bathing all around him. It was something caught between his wildest dream and a nightmare. 

Sighing, he backed out of the room, pulling on his sheer dress that covered little. Not that he was complaining. Smiling to himself and blushing he walked out, staring at the glow of the cube between his breasts. Wild dream. 

Wandering around, he found another bath. No one was there so he decided that was the best place to be. He undressed and sank into the water, blowing bubbles in it. Why was he always alone? 

“Yuugi?”

He glanced up at the sound of Atem’s deep voice, then gasped, staring wide eyed at a woman beside him who looked like… well Kaiba. If Kaiba was a girl. If Kaiba was the hottest girl he’d ever seen before in his life. “Woah!” he gasped and covered his eyes. “Sorry.”

Atem laughed, and Kaiba snorted, or he thought it was Kaiba. He had no idea and he wasn’t about to look again. Why was everyone half naked?!

“ _Nefer_ , you shouldn’t be in here.” 

“Sorry,” he said, quick and clipped, “got lost.”

“Lost?”

He heard steps on both sides of the bath and felt a hand on his arm, gently pulling on him. “I’ll take you to the right room, Yuugi.”

“I’m really fine. I won’t look.” 

“Leave, hi-her there, Atem.”

Atem laughed and let him go. “Suit yourself, _hem-etj_. I’m certain you’re ill though.”

“I’m fine.” She muttered, and Yuugi felt it was definitely Kaiba.

The water rose, lapping at his wrists and he stiffened. Great. Great. What was he going to do? He couldn’t move! His face hurt, too hot to breathe. Who got in? Did he want to know? No! He wanted to look but this wasn’t a wild fever dream as much as it sure felt like it. This dream had consequences he wasn’t ready or willing to deal with. Why did the universe hate him? 

“ _ You are a curious thing _ ,” Atem said in a beautiful language that wasn’t Egyptian but he somehow knew what he was saying, “ _ Are all daughters of Caanan so timid? _ ”

“ _ Timid  _ is not the word I’d use.”

Atem sighed, “Squabble with them while I’m not here.”

She scoffed and Yuugi thought he was going to die of embarrassment as the water rose even more. “Yuugi. Knock it off.”

“I’m not doing anything.”

“You’re being weird.”

“I’ll be a lot weirder if I stop.”

Someone grabbed his wrist and jerked his hand away from his face. He stared wide eyed at Kaiba, or who he thought was Kaiba, glowering at him, her hair floating in the water over her breasts. He saw the glow of the cube under the water. That was Kaiba. But the glow only kept his eyes focused on where the cube was, and that’s where he was looking when she quirked a brow and put his hand back on his face. 

“Sorry… I told you.”

Atem chortled, “Red’s a good shade on you _imi-ib_.”

“Fuck you.”

“Kaiba!” he sucked in a sharp breath then groaned, “I mean… Ugh…never mind.”

He sank more into the water so it covered his mouth and hoped time would speed up. 

“What does ‘Kaiba’ mean?”

“Goddess.”

He wanted to kick her, hearing the smirk in his tone… her tone. This was all so confusing. At least he knew he or she was Kaiba. The Kaiba from his dimension. He wanted to talk to Kaiba but he couldn’t with Atem right there. All he could do was sit there like a rock and hope nothing happened.

“ _Hem-ek_ , the new co-” He peeked through his fingers up at the person talking, someone he recognized; Mana. “Forgive me, _hem-ek_ , I was unawa-”

“It’s perfectly alright Mana. Set’s new collar is here?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Come _hem-etj_. I want to see it on you.”

Yuugi grit his teeth, but he didn’t have long to be jealous. Atem stood up to get out of the bath. He was going to die. Quickly he looked away, locking eyes with Kaiba, a bright blush on her face. For some stupid reason, he relaxed a little. At least he wasn’t the only one feeling awkward. How was she even hotter like that?! He covered his face again.

This is just Kaiba.

It’s just Kaiba.

Then he had the image of Kaiba, as he’d always known him, with that same blush and that was even worse. The water level dropped, Atem continued to talk to Mana about some ceremony thing they had to go to and the water level dropped again. He waited, waited until he stopped hearing footsteps and peeked through his fingers. Mana crouched down on the other side of the bath beaming at him. “What are you doing?”

“Dying.”

She laughed and stood up. “You’re Yuugi right? Atem’s new wife from Caanan? How do you like it here?”

“I hate it.” And love it in weird ways.

“Hey it’s not so bad. Seto takes some getting used to but she’s really sweet.”

“Sweet?!”

Mana laughed and held out a towel for him. “She’s sweet to me, but I’m not married to Atem so that might be part of it.”

“Urgh.” He sank more into the water, blowing bubbles up.

“Come on Yuugi. Get out! We’re going to be late for the ceremony!”

“What ceremony?”

“Caanan is such a weird place.”

—

At the end of the day, sitting on some brightly colored cushions in the dinning hall beside Atem, he had no idea what to make of this dimension. He hated every single one before this. Hated Anderson, hated that he’d died (probably over something stupid) while Yuugi was still alive and running around, hated being tossed into a lake without his permission, hated everything. Not a single dimension he’d entered had him in it. Just someone walking around that looked like him. This one… this one was different.

He was himself here. Everyone reacted to him like they did in his dimension. The Priests in the palace that he recognized, treated him the exact same way they did in his dimension, even with a little less bite in their tone. Mahado talked to him exactly like he did in his dimension. No more or less regard, no more or less respect. And hearing it now, melded with everything else, like he belonged here, made him wonder if there was something else to Mahado’s pokes and prods at him instead of disdain. 

He had things here he liked. He liked the food, he liked the Chariot that Atem said was his, he liked Sefu, apparently his cat. She knew he wasn’t her, and it was interesting to see the cat debate on walking away or investigating. She ended up following them everywhere. He had to carry her at one point. Atem said she thought he was sick as well. She probably did. He liked that he had purpose there. He knew everything going on in the entire kingdom right alongside Atem. Well, he didn’t know it… she knew it. She went with him everywhere; pulled into every single discussion, every decision, and every direction.

He didn’t understand. He did everything before, followed him into death, just to have a spark of this, but here he was giving it to him without any of that. Meeting him halfway. He offered this to Atem before, the first day he met him in Aaru. Asked him to come back with him. He refused. Why? What made her good enough, but he was not? Or was it that he had a taste of what it was like to have it on his own and didn’t want his life split?

“Why are you doing this?”

“Doing what?”

He frowned trying to think of how to explain it without sounding like he’d lost his mind. “You’re the Ph- _Per-a-a_ , not me.”

“…I am.”

“What is the point of this?” He gestured to the golden beaded collar draped off his shoulders and over his chest, mirroring in many ways the one Atem wore and that was the point. The whole point. It was small, it was insignificant, but it spoke volumes to this dimension.

Atem smiled at the collar then him, his smile turning into a mischievous smirk. And that’s all he got. Not another word, like that was answer enough. It might’ve been for her, but it wasn’t for him. Even if he did answer him, it wouldn’t help and he knew that. She wasn’t him, similarities aside, and this dimension’s Atem wasn’t his either.

Scouring the dining hall for Yuugi, his brows knit together. He was there that morning, awkwardly standing beside Mana and insisting he didn’t have a fever when she commented that he ‘looked flushed’. He had to be around somewhere, still being weird. Though Yuugi never approached him about wanting to leave. Maybe this dimension wasn’t as hard on him either. 

“Happy wife, happy life,” Atem said, breaking up his search. “Or if you prefer,  _ hem-etj _ , it is my duty, given to me by the gods, to uphold Ma’at. If you are dissatisfied, then Ma’at cannot be. Although,” he lightly laughed and glanced at him as he picked up a goblet of beer, “that is a feat in itself when you have a wife who wants the head of Osiris and the throne of Amun-Re. This is the least I can do.”

“You think all of this is the least you can do?”

“Well, it’s not the head of Osiris and the throne of Amun-Re, is it?”

It took everything in him not to snap at him. “You gave-”

“I’ve given you nothing,” Atem said, incredibly serious, turning his full attention to him. “You have your eyes set on horizons no one here’s ever seen. I can’t stomach the thought of keeping you from them. I gave you nothing, just took away what’s keeping you from it.” Leaning away to grab a plum, he ignored Kaiba’s scowl. “Speaking of horizons…” He grinned and turned the plumb over in his hand before looking back at him. “Your gamble paid off.”

Gamble?

He nodded. “Tomorrow we set out to invade Caanan. You were right. The treaty with Tyre went a little too well. Yuugi was a false offering of peace. They sent her here to kill me.”

“Yuugi?” he scoffed incredulously, “They sent Yuugi to kill you? Ha!” Shaking his head, he looked out at the dining hall again, searching for Yuugi to prove this was ridiculous.

“It’s true. I can hardly believe it either. She’s been nothing but kind…” He trailed off sorrowfully. “We’ve talked about leading a campaign to expand Kemet for seasons. Now’s our chance.” He reached out with his free hand, sliding his fingers between Kaiba’s and squeezed his hand. “Together. Like we wanted.”

Atem wanted to go on a campaign and conquer kingdoms with him? Wait no. Back up. “If you thought Yuugi was going to kill you, why didn’t you have him, her, arrested when we found her this morning?”

There was the ‘you’ve lost it’ look again. “We didn’t know then.”

He ignored the look and his insistent ‘we’, growing anxiety tearing at his stomach. “I’ve been with you all day Atem. How could you not know before?”

“Mahado brought it to our attention before we went to the river, Set. You told him it was his job to deal with it and to figure it out.”

“He wasn’t talking about Yuugi. He said he received a tip off that some girl from Tyre was trying to kill you and asked you if he should investigate it. That IS his job.”

“Well at least you were listening,” Atem said half laughing, “Yuugi is the only girl here from Tyre. She’s the only one in the palace with garments of purple which only comes from Tyre, her home. Are you sure you’re feeling alright? I know you hate her, but that’s a large detail to simply will away.”

What purple clothes?! The two times he saw Yuugi that day he was in water or wearing the same dress as all the other girls in the palace, sheer and ivory. “Where is Yuugi?”

“Imprisoned. Why do you sound so surprised?… You don’t hate her.”

“Where is he?!”

“He?”

“If he dies I’m- Damn it Atem! You could’ve told me earlier!” 

“You were right there!”

He bolted up, running out of the dinning hall towards the pylon. Where the hell did they keep prisoners? He couldn't remember. He stopped at the edge of the pylon looking out over Waset and put his hand on the cube, lifting up the golden collar necklace so he could see it. Good, it's still there and glowing. Which meant, hopefully, Yuugi was still alive. That had to count for something. 

“Set!”

He glanced back at Atem then the city again. The wall. That’s where the prisoners were. He ran as fast as he could so Atem couldn’t catch him. He had to get to Yuugi before they killed him. He’d be stuck here. The plan was to keep Yuugi miserable, not dead! 

“Guards stop her!”

One of the guards stepped in front of him twisting his blade in his hand. Ha! Fine. Two can play at this. He took a step forward, head held high and waited for him to react. Like any other idiot, he blindly attacked him. Atem started to say something but he wasn’t listening, dodging the blade and punching the moronic excuse for a guard in the stomach. Atem had his chance to talk to him. He’d have to fucking wait now. He could’ve said something earlier! Yuugi was the worst candidate for espionage. Has he ever lied successfully before? He’d pay to see that. 

He hadn’t seen Yuugi all day. He assumed he was busy being weird like he was in the bath and at the very least enjoying the palace. How could he have known?! 

“Set stop! What are you doing?”

Kaiba took a step back and kicked the door, sending it flying into the wall before storming inside. The guards inside the corridor jolted and dropped their weapons. What if this was an invasion? 

“She’s a traitor like you said she would be!”

“I was wrong!”

“Mahado found proof.”

He glanced over his shoulder walking through the corridor to a set of dark stairs. “How do you know it wasn’t planted? As you said, I clearly hate her, don’t you think that’d give someone the perfect edge and excuse to use her as a scapegoat?”

Atem slowed briefly then shot after him down the stairs. He rounded the corner and came to an abrupt stop. Those weren’t guards. “Look what we have here?” 

He ignored them, searching the room for Yuugi. He almost didn’t see him with the group of whoever they fucking where in the way. Yuugi sat on the far side of the room, huddled in the corner, unmoving. Fucking great. 

Atem stepped to his side, glaring at the men in the room. The lead masked man cackled. “This’ll be our easiest job yet!”

Atem sighed, looking at him. “I hate it when you’re right.”

Kaiba smirked, watching him toss a sword his way. He caught it and spun it in his hand. His head felt numb for a moment, almost like the dragons talking to him in the first dimension or the demon version of him clawing for control. Was she trying to talk to him? 

“Extra stone for who kills the King. Keep the girl alive. No need to tell the boss.”

_Kill him first._

He surveyed them, resting his focus on the leader. Not a bad plan. He had to admit it was nice meeting a version of himself that wasn’t a waste of breath. 

_ Keep them alive and unharmed and I can say the same. _

He moved with her, neither taking precedence or fighting for complete control. She felt like an extension of him, filling him with knowledge of this dimension, of her life, of the things she fought for and why she wanted to assist him instead of take over. With every swipe of the blade he felt all the differences between her and him, there were so few. He could hear her comments, her feelings about his life. _Necessary. Resourceful. Detached._ She answered his questions, the ones Atem, in either dimension, did not. 

_ We want the same things. _

She thought he and his Atem did not. He sighed, looking down at the dead bodies of the men, unaware how or when that happened. The numbness faded but not before a farewell.

_ Our eyes are on the horizon, yours and mine. I see its beauty clearly. If you continue as you are, you’ll walk right past it. _

“Yuugi!”

Atem swept past him and knelt down beside Yuugi, scooping him up into his arms. He wrapped his arms loosely around Atem’s neck, trying to keep his eyes on him. “That… was the … I don’t have a word for it.” He laughed, his voice hoarse, “Forever remembering that.”

“Are you alright, _nefer_?”

Yuugi beamed, busted lip and blackened eye. “I know I look bad, but you should see the other guy.”

Atem laughed, looking him over his brow furrowed. “I would’ve thought you’d be upset.”

“I didn’t think anyone was coming for me,” Yuugi murmured and lifted his shoulders, meeting Kaiba’s eyes. “I was wrong.”

He had to mirror Atem’s look of guilt and shock for a brief moment before turning away. “We need to take care of a rat.”

He heard Atem take a breath like he was going to argue but didn’t say anything, following him up the stairs. 

—

He could get used to this. The soreness was worth it. The hour of thinking he was going to die and terrified that they’d succeed and kill Atem and Kaiba maybe not as much, but everything else… worth it. Atem sat on the bed with him, spending all night playing games and eating snacks, so he’d stay awake because they thought he’d hurt his head. Kaiba passed out about halfway through the night. Yuugi didn’t blame him though. From the moment they stepped down into that dungeon Kaiba was on a warpath and Atem didn’t even know where he was or what he was doing half the time. The only reason he’d hear anything about it was Mahado or Mana would come in and give him a quick update then dart back out of the room to make sure he didn’t go too far. 

Atem really loved Kaiba here. He could see it more. In his face, in his eyes, in the way he talked to him. He wanted to just enjoy the company and the food and the game, but this dimension's version of himself wouldn’t rest until she got to talk to Atem. 

Since Kaiba was asleep and he was stuck, he decided to help her out. “Why did you think it was me?”

“False information.”

“Is that going to happen again?”

Atem smirked and looked down at the sennet board. “I do not believe so.”

_ Tell him we want to be free. Tell him we want to talk to him. Tell him we want to see her. Tell him we will be stronger. Tell him we want to go with him. _

Yuugi sighed. 

“What’s wrong?”

“I… I don’t know. I have a headache.”

That was the wrong ting to say. Atem frowned and lifted his chin searching his eyes. “I’ll get Priestess Isis.”

“I’m fine. It’s just a headache. It’ll go away.” Atem let him go but didn’t look convinced. He laughed and looked down at the board. “I uh… I have a feeling I’ve seen you more today than the whole time I’ve been here.”

Atem humped and picked up a piece from the board. “I’ve seen you more today than the entire time I’ve traveled between Kemet and Caanan.”

“Why am I here?”

“Caanan has no regard for their daughters.” Atem said matter-of-factly and placed his piece on the board. “I’m sorry. That was unkind. You are here because war is a lengthy and dangerous affair. Caanan can not weather it.”

“Is that why all the other girls are here?”

“No. They won’t leave.”

Yuugi laughed. “Is Ka- Uh- Is Seto your first wife?”

“Technically no. Netriri was. Set is my third. Netriri and Kasmut are no longer here. Kasmut was poisoned by Netriri and my fourth wife stabbed Netriri.”

“Wow.”

“Welcome to my world,” Atem sighed sadly and gestured to the board. “Your turn.”

“Does that happen all the time?” Yuugi asked, wrinkling his nose at the board.

“No. As my priests would have me understand this is the first in generations of my family’s dynasty. I have poor luck.”

“Or you have some really bad luck to have one thing really good.”

He flicked his gaze up to Atem, smiling at the loving look he gave Kaiba before turning his attention back to the board. “Perhaps.”

“I’m afraid to ask what number I am.”

“The number is dwindling if it makes you feel any better.”

Yuugi laughed, shaking his head. “It does not.”

They payed a few more turns before Atem picked up his piece, still examining the board. “You know… I’m impressed. You held your own and you’re being very brave.”

He blushed and felt himself sinking into the bed. “Thank you. Would you believe I’ve been in worse scrapes than that?”

“I must hear about it.”

She started whispering things to him, things about her past, her life in Tyre, and all the things she did, things she had to over come just like him and he laid there, listening to all of it, saying all of it without a second thought. Atem didn’t need to know about him being bullied in school or facing monsters or being trapped in a burning building… almost drowning… all the horrible things… she had a long list too. She was very brave and she was strong. She could’ve done all this herself. She didn’t need help like the dimension at the strange college or running for his life with Ryou. She knew all of that hurt and strength herself. 

“That’s incredible. What are you most proud of?”

Whisperers turned to excitement, he was excited to tell it too. “Before I came here, my father’s estate was taken over by bandits. They took over the city for 3 days. Keret, my brother, and I impersonated a few of their men and we took our city back. Keret got the credit, but he still thinks me for it in our letters.” 

“That I would’ve liked to witness,” Atem said with a smile. “I’m curious why your family sent you to me. Don’t you have sisters?”

His other self wasn’t sure how answer that question. Something between wanting to see Egypt and the palace and wanting to be the one to go instead of her oldest sister who had her heart on someone else. And mixed in with all of that was this… glow she saw in Atem and Seto. It made him uncomfortable. If he don’t know any better, he’d swear she had a crush on both of them. To an extent he got it. Atem was just… captivating. And he would never forget watching Kaiba and Atem sweep the floor with those jerks. Permanently ingrained in his mind. Never letting it go. He just wasn’t sure how to explain to her that it wasn’t going to work out like she wanted it to. 

“I’ve always wanted to see Kemet,” he said simply, focusing on the board and taking his turn.

“Is she everything you thought she would be?”

He smiled, Yes, but before he could say a word Mahado walked back into the room, Mana right next to him. “Forgive the intrusion, hem-ek. A matter has come up that needs your immediate attention.”

Atem nodded and smiled sadly. “I’ll be right back, _nefer_. Do not go to sleep.”

Yuugi laughed and nodded, watching him get up off the bed and follow Mahado to the door. Mana waved at him and winked, disappearing after them. He sighed. He did not envy this dimension’s version of himself. She had her work cut out for her here. He sympathized. 

“Are you ready to leave?”

He turned to Kaiba and smiled. “Are you sure you want to? We don’t know what it’s going to be like in any more of the dimensions.”

“We don’t belong here.”

“We don’t. We really don’t, but… I’m getting tired of half dying all the time.”

Kaiba closed his eyes and sighed through his nose, sleepily. “That is annoying. I’m getting tired of dealing with you half dying.”

“Thanks.”

He almost smiled, exhaling deeply. “They have plans and things they need to do that we’d be a detriment too.”

“Since when do you care what our dimensions selves are doing?”

“This one isn’t incompetent.”

“None of them were incompetent.”

“Anderson was a deadbeat.”

“Anderson was you if you had a loving family and friends.”

Kaiba’s eyes shot open and he glared at him. “You really want to start that?”

“I’m not starting anything. He had a great life. I have full confidence he’s killing it out there running Kaiba Corp out of business and taking it over out of sheer spite.” He smiled when Kaiba humphed visibly trying not to. “I haven’t seen a dimension you weren’t doing great in yet.”

“I was dead in one.”

“And doing great. You were talking and almost ate Atem.”

“As you said, I run on spite.”

“Oh I know.” He laughed and pushed the game board away, laying his chin down on his folded arms. “I just don’t have enough spite to kick death’s teeth in I guess.”

Kaiba’s voice changed, not the pitch but the tone; so slight he would’ve missed it if it weren’t accompanied by a determined and chilling grin. “There’s more than one way to dethrone a god.” Then he sighed, frowning and pushing himself up. “That’s enough of that. We’re leaving now.”

“What?”

“You and Atem owe me a rematch. If I have to die infinite times in infinite realities to get it, I will.”

“Yeah but you’re not the one dying.”

“Even better.” 

He tried to argue but Kaiba rolled over on top of him. He locked up, bright red from the giddy whisperers of his other dimension's self. Thank the gods the golden glow would erase the memory of the way his heart skipped a beat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hem-ek: your majesty to guy pharaoh  
> Hem-etj: your majesty to a girl pharaoh  
> imi-ib: my heart (awww so cute)  
> Per-a-a: Pharaoh...essentially.   
> nefer: beautiful


	11. Wait for me across the sea.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cube did it on purpose! Who's idea was it to bring them to a dimension set solely on the ocean!? If Kaiba had his way, he'd fire them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 10 AUgust Pirates AU

Kaiba felt weightless, floating in an abyss. All opening his eyes did was give it color. Blue. Deep blue as far as the eye could see, with streams of yellow light pouring through it from above. He followed them, a liquid mirror rippling and waving cut by the hull of a large ship. The ship continued on until the shadow was long gone, bathing him in watery light again. He just stared at the strange surface, the reality that he’d never make it up sinking in. To think Yuugi was the one bitching about dying. Drowning wasn’t a fate he wanted to endure.

A fish near the surface swam through the waves and ripples left behind by that ship. He wondered what it was doing as another ship drew closer, chasing the first one. He thought it was at first, but it turned, slowing its speed and splitting off to follow the fish. The fish swam down, fast at first then lazily swaying from side to side. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on anything but panic. He could make it…

When he opened his eyes he almost lost the little air he had left. Yuugi? He lazily swam closer, tilting his head and looking him over. His hair looked softer, more alive with strings of amethyst waving in the current mixed in. Pearlescent scales glistened at his hairline and in patches across his shoulders and his forearms. Those same amethyst strings stretched out of delicate fins on his forearms, hips and his tail. 

Yuugi hovered a few feet from him, the only thing in the sea of blue, his scales glistening in the streams of sunlight. The quantum cube, visible and glowing in his chest. He hummed, an eerily alluring sound that gave him goosebumps and said in a slurred songlike voice. “It’s like the cube knows you don’t like water.”

Sure felt like it.

“I don’t think I can bring you to the surface in time. So-” he moved with more grace than he ever did as a human or even as an angel, reaching out to him- “don’t hate me and don’t freak out.”

He had the time and thought to back away. Though curiosity must’ve stopped that, or maybe it was the tightening grip of suffocation around his chest. Regardless of why, he remained motionless in the sea of nothing. Yuugi’s hands were cold on his face, tilting his head up slightly. For a moment, he wasn’t sure what Yuugi was doing. His lips parted and his eyes darted down. He was close enough for Kaiba to see rows and rows of sharp teeth. Was he going to kill him? 

Mid mental debate on whether that would be a better death than drowning, Yuugi kissed him. His lungs screamed at him to take a breath, every muscle in him tense, locked up, and absolutely unwilling to follow the single command of shove him the fuck away. He paralyzed him! 

Yuugi’s tail swiftly thrashed, surging him forward and Kaiba back. He leaned over him, tightening his grip on his jaw and the back of his head, making him tilt back further and part his lips. Whatever neurological block there was between his screaming mind and the rest of him broke and he tried to grab Yuugi’s arms as fast as he could. He hadn’t even touched him when he felt air forced into his lungs. Cool air, like breathing in peppermint and it soothed the ache from needing to breathe for so long. 

He breathed it out. This wasn’t right. It didn’t make logical sense. How could he do that? Did he even have gills? Was this poison? How the hell would Yuugi know to do this or what affect it would have? The bubbles tickled his nose but he was way more concerned about getting Yuugi to let him go. Tightening his grip on Yuugi’s upper arms he felt the cool air forced into his lungs again. He shoved him away, drifting and glaring. Yuugi’s tail thrashed, followed by light songlike laughter, “You’re going to kill yourself.”

He said ‘fuck you’ but all it sounded like was blub blub.

The songlike laughter continued until he cupped his face, kissed him and blew the peppermint air into him again. Kaiba almost blew it out but Yuugi covered his mouth and nose. “Stop.” 

If looks could kill Yuugi’d be calamari or over cooked trout. Kaiba swayed in the current, death glare locked on him hesitantly removing those cold hands from his face. Then Yuugi lifted his shoulders and curled into himself, hiding part of his face with his translucent tail fin. “Sorry… It was the only way.”

Only way?! He could think of a million more if he’d give him the chance! Why is everything ‘the only option’ with him? Hearing it didn’t help at all. Still tense, numb, anxious and uncomfortably warm and cold at the same time. He poisoned him. He was going to die.

Yuugi casually looked up then back at him, suddenly his entire body language changed. He stretched out, swimming up. “No! Oh no. We need to hurry!”

He just stared at him. Hurry and do fucking what? How was HE going to hurry? He could barely swim! Yuugi fucking knew that! The more he thought about it, the more pissed off he was. He couldn’t swim. He hated water. He hated being touched. He hated being touched without his permission and he didn’t care if it was to keep him alive or not!

Like Yuugi could hear his every thought, and with spite he didn’t believe could be contained in his small body, he swam around behind him and wrapped his arms around him. Fuck everything! 

“We have to catch that ship!”

Well then catch it. What was the big deal? Yuugi had no idea who was on that ship. He paused for a moment, letting Yuugi swim with him through the water, fast, really fast. He was impressed that those fragile fins could withstand the water pressure. But what did he fucking know he just had air breathed into him out of fucking no where!

His mind was blank, alive and himself not tingly or numb like it felt when the other dimension’s versions of himself tried to talk to him or take over control. This one was taking a purely hands off approach…. Maybe Yuugi could take some notes. 

The closer they came to the surface the more he heard. Canons. Loud canons. Those two ships were in a battle. Why was Yuugi taking him to the middle of that? Up ahead, the ship that passed by him first exploded, rolling fire lit up the waves as the ship hull split in two. Yuugi hummed near his ear and it gave him more goosebumps. 

Yuugi brought him to the intact ship and let him go a few feet from the surface. He hesitated, swimming around to the front of him. “Can you make it to the surface or-”

Kaiba glared at him and started swimming up. No. No ‘or’. Not again. He was done. He’d had enough unwanted physical contact to last him a lifetime between this dimension and the last SEVERAL. His lungs hated him for that decision though. As he broke the surface, he gasped so loud his throat hurt. The waves lapped at him making it difficult to keep breathing without taking in saltwater but he managed, staring at the burning ship. He was keeping himself up. As much as he hated to admit it… If Yuugi wasn’t there he would’ve died. Not just before but now, trying to make it to the side of the ship that wasn’t crackling with fire. 

Because of Yuugi’s insistence on being ‘helpful’, he gave him the ability to do this on his own. 

Reaching the side of the ship, he put his hand on it, watching a few of the other ships crew break the surface and try to grab on to things to keep afloat. He heard voices, more canon fire, but the thing that held his attention was the disappearing men in the water. One…after another… after another. He took a deep breath and lowered into the water to look for Yuugi. He saw something swim through the wreckage but before he could move to get a better look, someone grabbed him. He gasped as he was lifted up and thrown into the bottom of a small row boat. 

Two familiar faces leaned over him. Wheeler and Marik. “Heh. What’re ya doin’ over here? Shouldn’t ya be with your buddies?”

Marik grinned and gestured with nod to the wreckage. “We can throw him back.”

“Nah, He’s over here for a reason,” Wheeler said, matching Marik’s malicious grin then looked back down at him. “Ain’t ya?”

He narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth. 

“Maybe the Cap’n can get somethin’ outta him.” 

Marik shrugged and grabbed Kaiba’s arm. He tried to pull away, but Marik was strong and fast. He managed to clamp on two very thick steel cuffs on both his wrists before he could flinch from the cold. Wheeler banged on the hull of the ship and called up. “Cap’n! Gotta live one!”

He looked up at another annoyingly familiar face. Gardner.

“Throw him back!” she shouted, holding onto the brim of a ridiculous pirate hat. Now that he thought about it all of them were dressed like outlandish movie set pirates with little to no historical accuracy… except the grime.

“He ain’t from the wreck!”

Tea tilted her head and disappeared. Replacing her was a rope with a hook at the end. He gasped and pulled himself up as the metal hook slammed into the boat floor right where his head was. “Oops,” she mocked.

Marik snickered and hooked the metal cuffs onto it. He stared at the hook then glanced up at Tea in abject horror. “You are not-”

The rope pulled taut and he braced himself, ripped right out of the boat by the wrists and fast straight up the side to the railing. Twisting so he was facing the boat, the line caught at the edge. Perfect for him to get leverage. He pressed his foot to the side and pushed himself up, climbing over the edge. Apparently they weren’t expecting that. Tea gasped and reached for the sword at her hip. He couldn’t let her do that and kicked her before she could touch it, sending her back. The crew raced to grab him and he fought them off, hands bound or not until he felt the sharp end of a blade at his throat. Frozen, he glanced towards the blades owner standing to his left. 

“Impressive. For a Royal Naval brat.” Atem mocked and angled the blade so he had to turn his head to face him. “My crew are going to need an apology for-” His eyes widened and he removed the blade from his throat, sharply grabbing his jaw and jerking his head more to the left. “My siren…”

Kaiba shoved him away and rolled his shoulders trying to get the pain out. Atem didn’t attack him, none of the crew moved. Then suddenly, Atem threw his sword into the deck and took his hat off, sharply yelling at Tea. “You’re in command till I get back. Lock him in my quarters.”

“Sure thing Captain!”

Without so much as a glance Atem stormed to the edge of the ship, jumped up on the side then dove off. What the hell was that?! Someone grabbed him, he tried to pull out of their grip but they had the upper hand this time. He heard the click of a flint being pulled back. “Spunky or not, I’d rather shoot you and feed you to the fishes but Captain's orders. Better move before I change my mind.” 

Kaiba glanced out at what was left of the other ship. Hopefully Yuugi was better off.

—

Swimming through the flames and the falling timber was fun. He liked it. Being a mer… man? mercreature, was fun as well, though he was still getting the hang of it. Swimming was easy, searching was easy, knowing what to do when presented with interesting situations was easy, but it shouldn't be easy. He acted on instinct and that bothered him. Kissing Kaiba was an instinct. He knew it would work. Though the other sailors that he passed by weren’t as lucky. His instinct was to eat them and he did. Nothing he could do to stop it. The creature that he was didn’t look at them like they did Kaiba. They might as well have been little wrapped up spicy salmon rolls. They tasted like it too. 

He tried not to think about it. He had more important things to do anyway.

He had a purpose searching through the wreckage, like shopping at a store for the perfect present. He needed shiny things. Something to catch the eye and make it sparkle. Not for him. His ship needed shiny things. At least that’s what his gut told him. He had no idea why it needed shiny things, he just knew the crew liked it and making them happy made him happy. How could he say no?

He kept trying to question it, see if he could remember or contact the creature that was him from this dimension but he was getting a whole lot of nothing. Just… eat and get shiny things. He had quite the stash as the last of the hull fell into the deep; pears, gold, sea shells and scales with numbers etched into them all in his arms and in his hair. Swimming up to the surface he found a floating trunk and stashed the shiny goods inside it. 

He ducked down when he saw a row boat, Joey and Marik searched the wreckage too. Looking at them he got the sense they were family. He knocked on the trunk getting their attention and dove down. With the need to collect these things and his hunger satisfied, he felt more himself. They could go to a new dimension now. Kaiba was probably a little less pissed off now too.  _ He would like the shiny things. _ Swimming back to the ship, he caught sight of someone diving into the water. He watched them, lazily swimming closer. Probably more family, looking for more shiny things. Then he saw him. “Atem?”

He turned towards his voice and beamed, holding his arms out to him. It was so sweet and made his heart swell. Then a glow on the side of his neck caught his eye. 

_ Mate. _

He swam toward him, trying not to look as impatient and excited as he was.  _ Too dangerous for mate without him there to breathe life into him. He could have him all to himself. _ He reached out for him, brushing his thumbs over Atem’s warm face and surged forward, capturing his lips in a kiss. Atem breathed in, stealing the breath from his lungs and it sent a pleasurable thrill down his spine. _ Loved that. Loved him. Loved him so much. _

His hands wandered away from Atem’s face feeling his warmth through his flowing ivory shirt. “Were you looking for me?”

Atem closed his eyes and looked pained.  _ Must be difficult for mate. Can’t talk here.  _

“Did you like my gift?”

He opened his eyes and smirked, nodding once. 

He hesitated, trying to focus, he had something to say… on the tip of his tongue… “I… I miss you… Atem.”

His smile widened and he pressed his forehead against him. The contact sent electricity through him, numbing him and over sensitizing him as his tail wrapped around Atem’s leg. _ Needed to be closer. Take care of mate. Lonely. Can smell it. Taste it… _ in his kiss. He had more… to say… He was lonely too. Why was it so difficult to think? “I love you.”

More to say. More to think. Kept thinking…  _ Pulling Atem closer. Pulling at his clothes. Atem pulled the breath from his lungs again. Less clothes. Pulled away. Kept breathing him in. Harsh short breaths. Building up a spark. Mate wanted him. Taste it. Smell it. Feel it. Pressed into him. Trying to make a sound. Mate is cute making soundless sounds. Took him in. Lit the spark. Perfect cycle. Perfect circle. Perfect mate. Not alone.  _

Needed to talk to him. Still lonely. Body wouldn’t stop. He couldn’t stop.  _ Hear the spark crackle. Pulled him closer. _ Body won’t stop. Hard to think. Feels too good.  _ Felt the spark in his fingertips. Mate liked it. Loved it. Feels too good. Mate feels better. Taste it. Smell it. Feel it. Deep breaths stolen.  _

Deep breaths… He needed to take deep breaths. Atem smiled and pressed his forehead to his, eyes closed. Yuugi focused on his face.  _ Mate happy. He’s happy too _ . He wrapped his arms around him pulling him closer and Atem laid his head on his shoulder. Much better. He could think better this way. He glanced past him to some floating debris on the surface; a bobbing piece of the ship’s mast. 

He just… What the hell did he just do?! He tried to stay calm and not alarm Atem. He could feel everything. The cool water, Atem’s warmth… still in him. Did he… Did he just have sex with him?!

_ Mate happy. He’s happy.  _

He shook his head and found another piece of floating debris to focus on. This… this reminded him of being an angel, but… somehow the opposite. Thinking of or looking at Atem and he… couldn’t focus. He acted on instinct. The thing that drove him to search the wreckage, and the thing that made him... Oh gods… he ate those people.

Atem leaned back and kissed him again, stealing the breath from his lungs and making his head spin with a love he’d never felt so deeply before. He pushed on Yuugi’s shoulders, drifting back and fixing his clothes. Yuugi watched him feeling incredibly naked in the grand scheme of things. Atem looked up at him and frowned, swimming back and cupping the side of his face. He grinned, a wildness in his eyes that Yuugi didn’t notice before and kissed him, no breath this time. 

He helped him swim up to the surface, not quite making it too far up. The surface was dangerous. He just knew that. Atem winked at him and disappeared through the mirrored ripples. 

Alone in the deep, he stared at the hull of the ship, saying dumbly to himself to fill the silence, “I have a bad feeling about this.”

—

Kaiba paced along the windows looking out onto the sea. He finally got the stupid cuffs off, but nothing else budged. He had half a mind to throw a chair at the windows and jump. How long did they plan to keep him locked in here? The sun set, turning the room a warm red and pink. He should through a chair. 

A click made him pause, the doorknob turning. Atem stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, that ridiculous hat on his head. “Who are you?”

“Someone who’s regretting coming anywhere near this ship.”

He laughed, walking over to his desk and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m curious why you tried. I’m the one who ordered your ship destroyed.”

His ship? “Then why keep me here?”

“A siren saved your life, right? And brought you here.”

He narrowed his eyes. Siren? “What’s it to you?”

“Everyone on this ship was saved by the same siren. This is his ship,” Atem said fondly, “I simply captain it. He brought you here for a reason and I want to know why.”

“Then ask him.”

“Humans can’t talk under water and sirens can’t speak above it.”

“I don’t know why he brought me here.”

Atem stared at him, looking him over then focusing on his shoulder or neck. Kaiba involuntarily reached up to touch his neck, feeling a raised mark on it. He frowned and stormed over to the floor length mirror across the room. On his neck was a bright pearlescent patch of scales. Just like Yuugi’s. 

“I don’t suppose they told you anything about sirens in the Royal Naval Academy, did they?”

“Apparently not.”

“Sailors, _ real _ sailors,” he mocked and even though Kaiba could give a damn less what he thought about it, it still pissed him off, “know that seeing a Siren is a death sentence. I’ve seen one pick a man’s bones clean in a matter of seconds. But if you’re particularly unlucky, and they deem you salvageable, they give you life… at a price.”

He turned; a retort on his tongue about solving that problem with a fish fry, when he caught sight of something shimmering on Atem’s neck. 

“Most sirens live near rocks, cliff sides or the shallow caverns beneath the Opal sea. You’ll never see one out in the open like this.” He stood up and walked to the window grinning down at the trials of white. “Which makes you, Admiral Kaiba, very unlucky.”

“Heh, sure. What the hell is this ship? And what is this?” He tried to scratch off the scales but they didn’t feel like scales. Just a raised outline of where they were. 

Atem laughed and bowed quickly. “I’m Atem Sennen, Captain of the pirate ship  _ Aghniat Almawt _ . One of 7 ships in our fleet. The fleet you’ve chased for the last 6 years. Shame really. Now you’re one of us.” He walked past him to the door and opened it. 

He frowned, watching him open the door and shut it without locking it. A quick glance at the water and he stormed over to the door, throwing it open. The crew ran around the deck happily shouting to each other about random tasks they needed to do. Atem kept walking towards the front of the ship. “Three days! We will not be late.”

Tea clicked her heels together and saluted him before bursting into laughter and holding an unmarked bottle to him. “The wind is with us, Captain. We may even make it there in two days.”

“Anxious to see someone?”

“Pft. No…” Tea shoved the bottle into his chest and walked away. 

He stood there, debating on jumping in and finding Yuugi so he could leave, but the sun barely peaked over the horizon. He couldn’t see in the dark and even if he could, he had no idea what else was out there or if Yuugi was anywhere near them. Relenting to the fact that he was stuck, at least for a night, he followed Atem to the front of the ship.

—

The ocean was so beautiful. So many sounds! He had no idea there were so many sounds! He saw a shark the second day and she swam beside him talking to him. He talked to a shark! The more he talked to her, the more he realized she was just like him. She had a difficult time thinking too, difficult time stringing her thoughts and sentences together. She spoke quickly and sharply, just like her teeth, but she was sweet. He helped her get dinner. 

He had plenty to eat the day before. Though he shuddered as he thought about it.

The third day was like sitting in the airport waiting for Tea’s flight with all his friends. He could smell them, friends, family. A shape appeared out of the murky blue, swimming closer. His eyes widened at the shimmer of gold and black scales. A songlike voice, one that told him he found what he was looking for rang out from her, “There you are!” 

“Ishizu!”

“Who else were you expecting, crocodile?”

He laughed, swimming up to her to hug her. He felt like it’d been so long since he saw her. It was, wasn’t it? But this was different. 

“We’re all here then?”

He moved back from Ishizu blinking at Ryou. Ryou! He shot towards him, knocking both of them into a spin and holding on to him as tight as he could. He hadn’t seen him so long either, but he kept remembering him being there for him in the other dimension, him dying without a goodbye. Ryou laughed, hugging him tight as well. 

He saw more shapes, more creatures like him, lazily swimming closer. Mokuba came into view first and he almost didn’t recognize him. Dark purple almost black scales and strings in his hair. He looked so grown up! Behind him was Duke and Tristan… and Leon. He remembered Leon. He was grown up too. 

Mokuba looked up and Yuugi followed his gaze. The hulls of 7 ships littered the mirrored and rippled surface. He knew, but he didn’t know… didn’t know why… why he was here. “Why are we here?”

“Mahado,” Mokuba sang, and lazily gestured up to the ships. “And Mana. They want to save them.”

“Think they’re fighting an enemy they can see,” Ishizu added, and shook her head. “Too dangerous.”

“We want to stop them but…” Leon laughed, song like and bright. “They’re all so stubborn.”

“Did you tell him?” Ishizu murmured, reaching out and squeezing his shoulder, making him drift away from Ryou. “The leviathan haunts that bay.”

He had no idea he was supposed to! “No.”

“I’m surprised,” Mokuba said, “Your ship took out the Hunter. We’ve all heard.”

“Did you devour its Admiral?” Ishizu asked with a hiss in her song like voice.

He… had no idea.

Ryou swam over to him and gently took a hold of his wrist, incredibly worried. “Atem didn’t see you?”

“That isn’t good either.”

Yuugi stared at them, all talking, singing, though the sound was shrill instead of soothing. It took him too long to process what was going on. His instincts didn’t help him out with this one. He was supposed to have some knowledge of things. He had none. Admiral? Would he know if one of the men was an admiral? Probably… maybe. He honestly knew nothing about ships or sailing or titles like that. The only thing he did know: Atem and Kaiba were in danger, and there was no way to warn them. He missed his chance. 

—

Kaiba bristled, watching the crew of a ship beside them slide a plank over to their side. Tea stood at the end of it beaming at Mai, walking across it, her first mate, some girl he’d never seen before, walking right behind her. Tea took her hand and helped her down. He had a half a thought that maybe Mai was who she was waiting for but dashed it away. He did not care. 

“Mon capitaine chéri!” Mai said and laughed, keeping the French accent. Maybe it was real. “Not dead yet I see?”

“Not yet.” Atem grinned then walked to the other side, another plank, another captain. 

Marik? Wasn’t Marik already on the ship? Two more walked across from his side, and two more on the other side. They all looked familiar but he could only name three. Mai, Serenity and Bakura. Something was going on with Marik’s… twin though. He had no idea who he was. 

“Congrats on knocking down the Hunter,” Mai said, nodding her head to Atem. “Did you get the opportunity to gut the Admiral yourself?”

Atem laughed and stepped back, glancing at him. “Apparently, my siren had other plans.”

He unfolded his arms from his chest as they all looked at him. That movement turned out to be the wrong one. All of them, pulled a sword or pistol and pointed it at him. Atem reacted, stumbling back and holding his hands up. “There’s no need for that.”

“No need. Ha!” The girl with long blonde hair and a patch over her one of her green eyes snarled, “That bastard deserves to be at the bottom of the sea!”

“Have you both lost your minds?!”

Wheeler walked up with a waterlogged stack of papers, dried out in the sun. “Relax, Mai. We know what we’re doin’. Got the plans. It’s gonna go just like we thought. They’re waitin’ in the Sapphire Bay. Just like we knew we were but now they ain’t got the Hunter and we’re gonna catch up with their pants down.”

Mai shoved her pistol in a loose belt around her corset, then snatched the papers out of Wheeler’s hands, muttering something under her breath. Marik’s twin just watched her then turned his attention back to Atem. “You still plan to attack them?”

“That’s always been the plan.”

“Even with the Leviathan?”

“It’s a myth.”

“So are Sirens,” Kaiba muttered.

They ignored him. Surprise surprise.

“Ryou insists it’s real.”

“I’m not having this conversation again. Yuugi would’ve told me if it was. It’s just a myth made up by them to keep us from getting our friends.”

“It’s not worth the risk, Atem. I know you want to save Mahado. We all do, but this will lead to death. Can’t you see that?”

Atem’s scowl hardened and he locked his jaw. Save Mahado? 

Mai shook her head. “This is madness. I won’t put her in danger for this. They’re already dead.”

“There is no risk! The Leviathan is a myth!”

Serenity leaned over Mai’s shoulder, trying to read then glanced at Kaiba. He watched her eyes dart to his neck, she quirked a brow then looked at Atem. “Yuugi’s been away for a while… Maybe the mark isn’t-”

Atem changed. He almost didn’t recognize him, eyes wild and anger seeping out of every pore. He reached around his back and pulled out a pistol, and pointed it at Serenity of all people. “Get off my ship.”

“Atem I’m just-”

“Get off my ship!”

Mai shoved the papers into Wheeler’s chest and took Serenity’s wrist. “Come on pet.”

Kaiba quirked a brow as Atem pointed the pistol at the others too. They walked away leaving Marik’s twin, standing there and smirking like he found it humorous to have a gun in his face. “It’s worse.”

“I don’t need your opinion.”

Marik’s twin darted his attention to Kaiba then back to Atem. “Replacing you?”

He pulled back the flint.

He said something in another language, then turned to walk to the plank. Atem kept the pistol trained on him until the plank pulled back. The silence was strange. Everyone, even Wheeler, kept their mouths shut. They watched as the other ships sailed away, leaving them behind. Atem shouted commands, sending them all scrambling, still eerily silent. He’d had enough and walked up to Atem, gun in his hand still or not. What was he going to do? Shoot him? “What was the point of that?”

“None of your business.”

“You got that information off the ship I was on. Even if you didn’t, you’re dragging me into it. It is my business.”

“Having second thoughts?” Before he had a chance to answer Atem turned the gun to him. “You can get the hell off my ship too.”

“Gladly.” He spun on his heel headed towards the edge of the ship. 

Climbing up on it reminded him of his discomfort in the water. What if he died here? Would it matter? He glanced back at Atem, wild and consumed in rage he’d not seen in him in a long time. If he stayed he’d get shot. Only an idiot brings a knife to a gunfight. Tisking, he took a step, jumping off the edge.

He forced himself to take a breath, despite the feeling of his stomach in his throat. Hitting the water hurt, he probably did it wrong but he was better than being shot. He swam up, straining to get to the surface. Breaking through he gasped and cursed under his breath. He hated this. Yuugi was right, the cube did this on purpose. He took a few breaths, calming down and trying not to pay too close attention to the soreness, then dove back down to look for Yuugi. Hopefully he was swimming around there somewhere. It sounded like he should be. 

A quick cursory glance in all directions below him, he found nothing. Yuugi was probably lower down. He came up, took a deeper breath and dove back down. He didn't need to look hard that time. Yuugi lazily swam up from the depths. He held his hand out to him, gesturing for him to come up to the top. He couldn’t make it down and back up, and he wasn’t about to deal with Yuugi’s bullshit again. 

Yuugi tilted his head, reaching out and swimming closer, then grabbed him by the ankle. “Come here. What’s wrong?”

What’s wrong was he sank and sank fast, the mirrored ripples above him too far away to reach on his own again. He grit his teeth watching it’s shimmer fade the further down he went, then he felt hands, on his leg above his knee, then on his belt then grabbing the fabric of his shirt. Alarmed, he looked away from the ever fading surface to Yuugi. His eyes and the strings in his hair and on his forearms glowed unlike the first time he saw him. 

The tension melted out of him, staring into the softest colors in his eyes. Until he saw Yuugi’s in them, alarmed beneath the lights. His lips moved like he was trying to talk but all he managed was cut off words and nonsense. He hummed, the sound giving him goosebumps and darted his gaze behind him. “Fish, I see… fish I see it.” 

Yuugi moved, sliding his hands around his back and pulling him closer. He tensed up, all the discomfort from before flooding back and he blinked, confused what was going on. He held him so tight he felt his chin dug into his shoulder. “K-Kaiba… You need…. Get out of the water.”

He needed out of this dimension.

“I... can’t think right.”

When could he? He rolled his eyes and tried to wriggle out of his hold. It did little. Yuugi’s tail wrapped around his leg, pressing his body against him. His hands trembled against his back.

“I don’t want… to hurt you.”

Immediately recalling the rows of sharp teeth, he glanced back up at the faded surface. How far down was he? Could he make it if he tried? He couldn’t outswim Yuugi even if he had a whole tank of air, but he could try. Unfortunately his lungs disagreed, screaming at him to take a much needed breath. Again, he floated in an endless sea of blue trying to decide whether drowning was better than being torn to shreds by razor sharp teeth. 

He hated himself for it, but he chose the teeth. 

Tapping weakly on Yuugi’s shoulder, he waited for him to let him go. Not that he had all the time in the world but maybe providence should make this abysmal decision for him. Yuugi didn’t move. Didn’t move until he tapped him on the shoulder again. Drifting back, the lights were gone, it was just Yuugi staring at him at first. “Don’t hate me…please.”

The lights flickered slow at first, in his eyes than in his hair. He reached out and cradled his face in his cold hands and kissed him again, breathing cool air into his lungs. Unlike before, Yuugi was tense, his hands tense and jaw quivering. About the time it clicked that the teeth was the wrong decision, he felt Yuugi’s tail wrap around his leg again, grinding his body against him, the kiss changing from giving him air to a real kiss. He sucked in a breath out of shock and everywhere they touched tingled. 

He had air, and now the chilling realization that Yuugi was trying to tell him he couldn’t control what he was doing like in the dimension he was an angel. Kicking and thrashing he managed to get free and turned to swim up. He made it maybe two kicks before Yuugi wrapped his body around him again, sliding a hand under his belt. 

‘Click click click click click.’

He looked up, surprised that Yuugi froze at the sound. Atem was in the water up by the surface looking down at them. He waved his arm or maybe it was something else and the clicks filled the water again. Yuugi let him go, lazily swimming to his side, looking up at Atem. He shuddered, continuing to stare up and blindly reached out, grabbing his shirt. He thrashed his tail and they shot through the water up towards Atem. A little over halfway he let go of Kaiba, letting him drift towards him. He could swim from there, though he was running out of air again. Atem swam further down, grabbing his arm and helped him to the surface. 

He gasped and coughed, refusing to look Atem in the eyes. He’d had enough. Enough of everything. Atem hummed and ducked back into the water. He should swim back to the ship. It was right there, a rowboat on the side for him to pull himself up into. He should do that, but the side of his neck where those scales were burned. The only thing that seemed to help was the water. He might as well see what Atem was doing, whether he wanted to know or not. 

He dove back under, surprised to see Atem floating beneath the surface looking down at Yuugi and shaking what looked like a rattle. Yuugi swam up closer but stopped about the same point he did when he let Kaiba go before. He hesitated, Atem shook the mechanical thing again and he inched a little closer to the surface. So close to the sunlight, his scales shimmered but he looked so much more like himself. “I’m sorry.”

Atem shook his head slowly and dove down more to meet him. 

That bastard didn’t get to say ‘its fine’. He had no idea. It wasn’t fine. He swam back up to the surface, panting and eyeing the rowboat. He felt like his arms were going to fall off already but damn it. He was getting out of the water.

—

“He hates me,” Yuugi murmured covering his face with his hands and his tail fin.

Atem pulled at his wrists and smiled winding the mechanical thing. ‘N-O.’

“Yes he does. I would.”

‘S-U-R-P-R-I-S-E-D’

He half smiled eyeing the mechanical thing. “That’s clever. I can talk to you.”

‘S-O-M-E-T-I-M-E-S’

“Why only sometimes?”

Atem smirked and swam closer, kissing him and stealing the air from him again.  _ Mate happy _ . Yuugi shoved away from him. 

Atem’s grin made him smile despite himself. He wound the thing again. ‘S-E-E’

He sighed and let himself uncurl. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

‘I K-N-O-W’ ‘I W-I-L-L E-X-P-L-A-I-N’

“Thank you. I wish I could explain.”

Atem nodded and looked down at the mechanical thing before winding it again. Yuugi could smell it before he heard it. Atem was upset. _ Great. Two mates upset. _ No. He shook his head and tried to listen to the clicks.

‘W-H-Y D-I-D Y-O-U L-E-A-V-E M-E’

He met Atem’s eyes and could just… feel it. Abandonment and disappointment and fury rolling off him, like waves from a stormy sea. 

‘W-A-S I-T M-Y F-A-U-L-T’

_ Just like Kaiba. Rage and loss and madness. Mate hurting. Need to fix it. He could fix it.  _

‘Y-U-U-G-I’

He reached out to him, holding him.  _ Can’t see it here. Can’t fix it here.  _ “No… need to be sad…” He swam over him, changing their direction to swim down. Atem titled his head back, looking at the darkness. “No… need to be afraid.” Atem looked back at him, curiosity, fondness, love. _ Mate still loved him. _ “I s-stayed in the dark… for you.”

_ Swimming up. Felt like up. Safer in the dark. So scared. No need to be scared. Searched forever in the dark. Would do anything for mate. Colder here. Happy mate is warm. Missed warm. Mate likes the lights. See it shimmer in his eyes. Fix a mistake. Forever with mate. Just like it should be. Lost everything for mate. Deserves the lights. Make him happy again. _ “I… love you.”

_ Mark shimmers too. Remind him of other mate. Wish he was there. See the lights. Feel better. Fix another mistake. Next time.  _

—

Kaiba glared at the stars from the stairs leading up to the helm, wondering if Yuugi was right. 

It seemed preposterous. He couldn’t name a single thing he was afraid of enough to all out avoid. He’d been willing before. Willing to die in the water. But after 4 hours of wandering the ship, waiting for Atem to come back up, he came to the unsettling realization… he actually might be afraid. He couldn’t think of a single good reason why he was still on the ship. 

It was a much better solution than the alternative; being afraid of Yuugi, an even more preposterous thought. Two hours of slamming things around in Atem’s cabin and he came to the conclusion this was best looked at as an eye for an eye. He tore Yuugi’s wings off in the other dimension. Did nothing to stop the idiot from shooting at him, and completely dismissed Mahado’s questions when he knew, from Atem talking to them in the bath and the night before if nothing else, that he was talking about Yuugi. He was just… distracted. In all reality, Kaiba was still in the red. He could accept that. 

But he didn’t go back in. 

Truthfully it wasn’t just the water. Or even Yuugi. It was something else. Something he hadn’t quite scratched the surface of when he saw a pair of sopping wet hands wrap around the top of the railing. Atem groaned, pulling himself up over the edge and rolled over the railing onto the deck, panting. “Tea!”

He watched her slowly walk up to him, hands behind her back, and leaned over him, giggling. “You do realize I could’ve mutinied and taken this ship to the Crystal Isles by now, right?”

He groaned, turning his hands over in the moonlight. “You may have a point. I look like I’m 100.”

She launched and sat back holding her hand out. He took it and she pulled him up, but not before wrinkling her nose in disgust. “More like 300.” She muttered, wiping her hand on her pants. “Have fun at least?”

Atem staggered and leaned against the railing. “I’ll have more fun after you give me that.” He pointed to the bottle in her hand, attempting to grab it from her but she slung it over her shoulder. 

“Get your own, love. Unlike some people on this ship, I had a long day of work.”

She turned sharply and walked away, a bottle still slung over her shoulder, Atem still eyeing it like it was made of gold. Wheeler’s annoying laughter rang out from the mast and even he looked up to see what he was cackling about. He held on to a rope, leaning out from the mast, a bottle in his hand. “Catch!”

Atem moved away from the railing, catching the bottle like he hadn’t spent the last 4 hours underwater and laughed. “Joey you’re a vision! You’re next in line to be Captain!”

“Hell yeah!”

“No!” Tea shouted, pointing up to Joey from the other side of the ship. 

“Oh come on Tea. Let me have a night ta pretend it’ll happen.”

They bickered but Kaiba’s focus turned to Atem, staggering up the stairs to the helm, boots squelching with each step he took. Kaiba assumed he’d walk right past him. Instead he sat down on the step beside him, leaning back and pulling the cork in the bottle. “I’m only going to ask once.” 

Kaiba stared at the bottle held out in front of him, cork off. “What the hell is this?”

“I’m only asking once.”

“Fine.” He snatched the bottle from Atem’s hands and took a swig of it. “Rum.”

Atem laughed, laying his head back on the stairs. “What did you think it was?”

Instead of answering he took a larger swig.

“Don’t be upset with Yuugi. It’s not his fault.”

Kaiba scoffed and shoved the bottle in his chest. 

He took a hearty drink of it and set it on his knee, tapping his finger on the rim. “It really isn’t. He didn’t used to be like this. I met Yuugi the first time I sailed. I started when I was really young. I was a cabin boy, working my way up to first mate, on the most prestigious ship in our country, the Celinite, at the age of 12. There was a storm and we got caught in a current, hit the rocks. The ship sank. The crew-” he started, tilting the bottle towards him and he took it- “didn’t make it. The sirens picked them off, and left some to get swept into the rocks by the current making their meal easier. I was caught in it too, but I didn’t hit the rocks. I was swept out to sea. I remember looking up at the surface and just knowing I wouldn’t make it. Even if I made it up, the waves felt as tall as the ocean was deep. I was going to die there. I knew it, but then I saw Yuugi swimming towards me.” He chuckled to himself and looked at him. “I panicked. I saw what they did to the rest of the crew. Being young and scared, I screamed.”

Kaiba almost spit out the rum. 

Atem laughed. “Exactly. Yuugi saved my life. Gave me air, brought me to the surface, and spent the next 3 weeks swimming me to the closest ship we could find.”

“Three weeks? How are you alive?”

“Turns out the ocean is filled with all sorts of things I had no idea existed. Yuugi brought me to a coral reef where an octopus lives that filters the salt out of the water, using it to mix with it’s ink. But if you kill it fast enough it doesn’t have the chance. I had water. He got me food, but even then, we’re meant for land not the sea and after 3 weeks I got sick. Really sick. The ship we found brought me aboard and took me to the Golden City for care. When I saw Yuugi again, I was 13 and we were both... different.”

“Different?”

Atem snatched the bottle from him, scratching at the patch of scales on his neck then took another hearty drink. “I wasn’t lying to you about this being unlucky. It’s like a tether. When we’re close together I can see through the vast depths of the sea, the cold doesn’t touch me, the salt doesn’t sting, but when it’s pulled, it becomes a siphon that tears your mind apart the longer it’s stretched. I felt that pull the whole time I was sick. They had to strap me down to the bed because I tried to get out with a fever so high I was hallucinating just to get back to the water. It’s happened so many times. 

“I realized I had to be on the ocean. I couldn’t live away from him anymore, and even though I was afraid of the storm again, I found another ship to sail on a few months after I recovered. Because of Yuugi, I rose in rank fast. He was always with me, swimming around the ships I was on to make sure I was safe, taking care of the crew he liked, and eating the ones unfortunate enough to fall overboard that he didn’t.” Atem sighed, looking up at the stars. “I’ve stretched this tether to it’s brink so many times, the longest being when I was imprisoned for mutiny at the bottom of a ship for two years, Yuugi sank that ship. After two years we’d almost torn the tether in half and he sank a galleon bigger than this one, to get to me. All those years, the tether’s taken a lot from both of us. He’s not himself anymore.”

“I don’t know what that has to do with anything.”

“Whether you like it or not, you have the tether too. It will pull at you and it will pull at us. Your life is not your own anymore. As far as your freedom and your place in the world, you died at sea. You’re held onto existence by a tether and unfortunately, that tether is anchored into Yuugi, anchored into me. Though I’m still unsure why he did that. I’m causing him enough strain as it is, you’re worse.”

“He’s notorious for idiotic decisions.”

Atem laughed, handing him the bottle and he took a drink while he spoke. “I’m telling you this because in a few days we’ll reach the Sapphire bay. Your men won’t recognize you, they won’t help you, and even if they do, you can’t leave. You’ll go mad and find a way back to the sea to die.” He sat up off the stairs and sighed, turning to lean against the railing. “That is the best case scenario.”

“Worst case?”

Atem bit his lip looking down at the bottle. “Your fleet didn’t manage to destroy the Leviathan before we get there.”

“I thought you said that was a myth.”

“Yuugi warned me about it just now. I want to be mad but it’s not his fault.” He pointed to the scales on his neck. “Not all there anymore.”

“Neither of you ever have been.”

Atem quirked a brow, but he just took another drink. Hopefully there was enough in this bottle to keep from letting this sink in. 

—

The next day, Kaiba paced along the railing of the ship debating on jumping in. He needed to leave. They were going to fight a fleet of well armed ships. He could die, Yuugi could die. This wasn’t the time to play hero or play along. They needed to leave, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. 

The day after that he did the same thing, until Atem stopped him. He asked him to drink with him again. He refused at first, but it was better than facing the reality he wasn’t going anywhere. Atem told him he was nervous, afraid of what they’d find, afraid of being too late and afraid of hurting Yuugi. He drank so much he passed out, along with most of the crew.

The third day he helped Atem, learned some things about sailing he’d probably forget in the next dimension but it kept him busy. He had a bad feeling about everything and Atem had that feeling too. He wondered if Yuugi did as well.

That night they approached the bay. 

“I don’t get it… it’s empty,” Joey shouted from up the mast, “Notta ship in sight Cap’n.”

Atem shifted beside him, staring at the same darkness he was. “Any chance those papers were forged?”

“You’re asking the wrong person.”

He nodded once and walked to the edge of the ship. “I’ll be back. Stay here.”

Tea clicked her heels together and mockingly saluted to him again, then her posture melted into a sorrowful smile. “Please be careful, Atem.”

“Always.”

Kaiba felt his stomach twist as Atem jumped off the edge. He didn’t like this. Something was wrong. 

“Your men were here, weren’t they?” Tea whispered.

“I honestly don’t know.”

She walked up to him, then the edge of the ship. “It’s too quiet. This is a bay. Where are the birds?”

“It’s night Tea. Quit freakin’ out.”

He felt it, something in the black waters, like he could see it, but not. The mark on his neck burned again and he reached up to touch it. The instant he did, pain shot through his spine and his chest. He shouted, falling to his knees, a crushing weight wrapped around him. He clawed at it, at his shirt, at his chest, but nothing was there. Tea ran up to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. “Kaiba what’s wrong?”

The snapping of timber, towering tendrils of black, snaking their way out of the deep and wrapping around the ship. He saw it, though he couldn’t focus on it, feeling much like the ship, squeezed and snapping in two. Screams, gunshots, snaps and pops. The floor beneath him gave way, tilting; ever tilting and he tried to take a breath watching the black lapping waters draw closer. He should’ve dove in sooner. Should’ve forced himself to face it, but now he had no choice; swallowed up by the waves. 

He couldn’t move, in too much pain, then it all stopped. He kicked and swam up, confused why it all stopped, but he’d deal with it later. Breaking the surface, he saw Tea and Joey not far from him. Marik surfaced too, shouting to Tea. “What the hell was that?”

“The mythical leviathan! We need to get out of the water!”

“No shit!”

“There!” Tea pointed to the beach closest to them. “Just swim!”

“You’re outta your damn mind if ya think we can make that with whatever the hell it is under here!”

“SWIM!”

Without a better plan, he followed them, but they didn’t make it far. All the crew began to disappear beneath the water. Tea turned back and gasped, but she too was pulled under. 

He tried taking as deep a breath as he could before it happened. It was only a matter of seconds and he was pulled under too, a rough squishy tentacle wrapped around his ankle. He pulled at it, trying to get free, seeing nothing in the black water. 

Then light. So much light, soft and bright and colorful, illuminating almost the entire bay. He saw the creature through the haze of the bay, took in just how small he was compared to it. Atem wasn’t far from him. It had his leg too, but he wasn’t trying to get free, he was staring at the light. 

He looked at it too. Yuugi. 

The light took up everything, faded out the creature, faded out the water, faded out the crew, Atem and even Yuugi himself. It took away his fear and his anxiety, like waking up from a bad dream. It dimmed enough for him to see it all again, but the fear and the anxiety never came back. Yuugi swayed in front of the creature, his hands sparking, the sparks of electricity traveling between his fingers up his arms into the rest of him; sparking in his hair and along his body. 

Atem moved out of the corner of his eye, the others did too. He couldn’t bring himself to look away to find out what. It would be fine. 

Yuugi reached out, the sparks sending a popping crackling sound echoing unnaturally in the bay, and touched the leviathan. Atem swam into his view, blocking him from the light. He had a second to watch as the creature began to split, tearing apart from the sparks and traveling up it’s tentacles pouring clouds of blood into the water and fading the light. Atem lifted the sword and swung it, cutting the tentacle wrapped around his ankle before the sparks could get to him.

Curling into himself in a silent scream, the sparks and darkness consumed him too. He couldn’t see, but that didn’t stop him from reaching out to Atem.

\--

It was difficult to see, impossible to smell, but Yuugi could feel Atem just ahead. He reached out, pleased when his fingers brushed over him. Atem wasn’t moving.  _ He couldn’t let it get to him just yet _ . Cradling him in his arms, he wrapped his tail around his leg. Couldn’t have him hurting himself. Gently he kissed him, gripping his chest by his heart and sending a short spark into him along with a deep breath. He jolted and wrapped his arms around him, pulling more air from his lungs. 

He shivered and smiled against his lips. “That was smart... cutting Kaiba loose. I don’t know if he would’ve survived that.” He laughed then murmured in his ear, “You’re used to it by now, huh?” Sliding his hands down his back and over the curve of is ass, he squeezed him, a smirk on his lips as he sent a brief spark into him. Atem ground his hips into him sharply, bubbles pouring from his mouth. He wished he could see his face. Remembered how before he had an impossible time keeping his head clear while he was this close to Atem. “I wonder why I can think now.”

Atem moved back, taking his hand and pointing up to the surface. 

“Oh. Okay hold on.” He swam them up, still holding onto him where he could, taking his time. 

He stopped just before the surface and let him go but Atem pulled on him making him go up the rest of the way with him. The surface was bright, too bright and cold. The wind made his teeth chatter, but he couldn’t deny how badly he’d missed Atem’s voice. 

“Have I told you how much I love you lately, my siren? I love you. You just killed a leviathan. A leviathan! All by yourself.”

He smiled and lifted his shoulders, admiring the moon reflecting in Atem’s eyes. 

“Was that why you left? To learn how to do that?”

Yuugi nodded.

“I can think too. I don’t know what you did or how but… Yuugi I’m so sorry.”

He frowned, watching him move forward, cupping the sides of his face giving him warmth in the cold ocean breeze. 

“I’m sorry I doubted you. I thought you weren’t coming back, thought you gave up on me. Promise me you’ll take me with you next time.” He kissed him, brushing his warm thumbs over his cheeks. “I can’t kill Leviathans and swim to the bottom of the ocean to find you, but I can be by your side. That’s all I want. Let me go with you.”

A lump formed in his throat, understanding all to well how Atem felt. He mouthed ‘I promise’ willing this dimension’s version of him to hear it and understand it. Living in two different worlds and loving someone on the other side hurts, but they had each other. They needed to remember that.

“I know I won’t like the answer but… was the fleet here?”

Yuugi lowered into the water until it covered his mouth and nodded.

“At the bottom?”

He nodded again.

“Damn… So Mahado and Mana are… and our ship too.”

Yuugi wrapped his arms around him and hugged him. What else could he do?

“Thank you, Yuugi. We should probably make sure everyone’s alright.”

He nodded vigorously and started to swim, looping Atem’s arms around him so he could hold on. Poor Atem. He lost everything. He felt so bad, swimming him to the moonlit shore. He felt even worse when no one was there but Tea. He should’ve checked the wreckage. What if Kaiba got caught?

She bounced around on the beach waving her arms and shouting. He had no idea what she was doing, until he got closer and saw her running along the beach and pointing. “In there! Come on Yuugi! Follow me!”

In where?

“Is that… a cave?”

He watched her turn along the beach and run along the edge of the rocks, disappearing into the cliff side. It was a cave. He swam after her, marveling at the firelight flickering over the cave walls. It was big, very big. So big, he was pretty sure ships could fit inside. Following Tea further into the cave, he heard voices echoing. “Ha! What luck huh?”

“There’s… there’s enough gold and food here to keep us fat and happy the rest of our lives!”

“And look at her! Oh isn’t she a sight for sore eyes!” Tea shouted, running along a corner and disappearing. 

He swam after her, but just around the corner he stopped. A galleon bigger than the one Atem captained sat in a small port inside the cave, the crew running around it and getting it ready to sail, but Joey and Marik were standing beside a shimmering stack of chests filled with gold and jewels and barrels, waving at some of the other crew to help them get it on board the ship. Atem tightened his arms around his shoulders and kissed his neck. “You’re a very good luck charm, did you know that?”

Yuugi laughed, but no sound came out of his mouth. He wanted to be surprised but he was too busy taking in all the crews happy faces and excited shouts. That feeling of watching his family was still there, it just wasn’t taking over him. It was nice, feeling it.

Kaiba walked alongside the ship on the deck towards them. He smiled and swam towards it. Kaiba helped Atem out of the water and watched him run down the deck towards Tea to celebrate with the crew. Yuugi watched them too, then looked up at Kaiba. 

“Can we go now?”

He laughed, soundlessly and nodded. 

“If I’m lucky, we’ll jump to another dimension you can’t talk in.”

Yuugi playfully glared at him, watching him hesitantly get into the water. As soon as Kaiba reached out for him, looping his arms around his neck like Atem had, he swam back. Kaiba tightened his grip but he didn’t stop. He wanted the last thing he saw to be them; his family celebrating a new adventure with all their treasures. The cave shimmered in gold, encasing all of them, even Atem’s loving grin. He’d see him again. He would. He knew it. 


	12. Good Evening Sheriff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuugi already thought Grandpa was amazing, but this was... something else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 11 AUgust Farm/Ranch AU

“Get off my property, Raphael.”

“This isn’t your property, Soloman. It’s been in the Doma family for generations!”

Yuugi blinked, blinked again, felt the pain in his lip and his knuckles, and blinked a third time. Grandpa… Grandpa had a shotgun in his hands glaring down Raphael, Alister and Valon, all with bruises, busted noses, and lips. To his right Atem stood beside him, just as beat up and glaring them down. To his left was Joey. What the hell was going on?

“I know it’s hard to hear but I bought it from your father, fair and legal.”

“He wouldn’t sell our home! Where is he?!”

Grandpa’a sighed, raspy and full of sympathy. “Cut out of town. Pegasus sent his goons after him. I’m sorry. I tried to get him to stay here but he wouldn’t have it.”

“Where are we supposed to go?!” Valon shouted, lunging forward but Raphael shoved him back.

“Could we buy it back?”

“We don’t have any money Raph, and you know that!”

“Maybe not but we’re alive and we know what we’re doing. We could earn it back.”

Grandpa nodded, standing up a little taller like that’s exactly what he wanted to hear. “Raphael I think that’s a marvelous idea.”

“What?!” Joey snarled, gesturing harshly to them. “Gramps they tried ta kill us!”

“Oh you’re fine, Joseph. You’ve looked worse coming out of Valentine’s.”

Atem snickered.

“We’ll talk inside, you boys have chores to do right?”

Yuugi just stood there while Atem and Joey reluctantly nodded. Raphael and Grandpa walked side by side towards a quaint log cabin up a dirt road they all stood on. Now that he wasn’t paying attention to the possibility of someone getting shot he realized he was in the middle of a dirt road surrounded by trees. Behind the log cabin was a field, open and wide stretching for hundreds of aces, a barn, and a shed with a pile of wood cut up beside it. 

Atem and Joey walked side by side up the dirt road towards the barn. They didn’t just look beat up they looked like… he looked down at himself. “I’m a cowboy.”

Atem turned and laughed. “What?”

“Nothing!” He smiled and lifted his shoulders up to his ears. “Just… what are we doing?”

Joey burst into laughter and waved him off. “Very funny. It’s your turn ta clean out the stalls. Ya ain’t gettin’ outta it this time.”

“Hey Joey,” Atem said, grinning as he walked ahead of him and turned, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Want to play a game?”

“Nah, ya cheat and even if ya don’t I know it’s gonna-”

“First one to the horses checks the fence.”

Atem turned to run but Joey grabbed him, threw him back then ran as fast as he could. Yuugi laughed, doubling over at both of them trying everything they could to knock the other down as they bolted to the barn. When they disappeared inside and he could finally catch his breath, his smile fell. Yet another dimension where all he saw was Atem getting to live, getting to be with them, and his did not. Were all of them like this? Was his dimension the only one?

Sighing, he started his way up the road to the barn as well. He had no idea what he was doing but maybe he could pout at Joey and Atem long enough to get them to help him. He made it about five steps when he heard a horse trotting up the dirt road. “Yuugi!”

He stopped and turned, jaw practically on the ground when he laid eyes on Kaiba. “You’re on a horse!”

His scowl deepened, but he didn’t say anything, leading the horse up to Yuugi and expertly stopping it. 

“How do you know how to do that?”

“I took lessons.” He spat, dismounting the horse and walking around it.

Up close he realized he wasn’t dressed like him. “You’re a sheriff. Oh wow. This is great!”

“And you’re a lowly ranch hand. Wonders never cease. Let’s go.”

He glanced back at the barn and sighed, nodding and turning back to Kaiba. “Okay.”

Kaiba made a strange face, glancing at the house and barn as well then roughly grabbed his arm. He gasped, stumbling over his feet into Kaiba’s chest. “Can’t you be nicer about it?”

“I could cut the cube out of your chest.”

“No this is fine.” 

The road and trees turned to gold.


	13. A Crimelord, a FBI agent and a Cat Burglar walk into a bar… What’s that punchline again?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some dimensions need digging and long explanations; observations of people, places and things. Not this one. Staring at the barrel of a gun is pretty self explanatory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 12 AUgust Crime AU

"Yuugi, please, put the gun down.”

Kaiba wasn’t really sure what he was looking at exactly, and admittedly, it took longer to grasp where he was than it should have. He was in a bedroom on a made bed beside Atem, neither wearing a shirt. Despite there being plenty of electrical lights in the room, it was lit with candlelight. Atem knelt on the bed facing Yuugi with his hand out and shaking. He was terrified. His eyes followed Atem’s outstretched hand to Yuugi at the foot of the bed with a gun pointed at him. His cheeks reflected the candle light. He looked like he’d been crying for a long time, red puffy eyes, clothes disheveled. A quick glance at Atem and he didn’t look much better, just less clothes.

Yuugi moved, drawing his eye again. He furrowed his brow, lowering the gun and darting his gaze between then. Then he lifted his left hand, looking down at a golden band on it. Now that Kaiba was paying more attention to that detail, Atem had one as well. He did not. 

_ Oh.  _

It clicked for him about the same time it clicked for Yuugi, but unlike the annoyance he felt from the awkward situation, Yuugi laughed. It startled Atem and he jolted back (which was a reasonable reaction to a cackling over emotional lunatic with a gun in his hand). Yuugi continued laughing, emptying the gun and pocketing the bullets. He set the gun down on the dresser and turned to Atem, wagging his finger. “Shame on you,” he giggled and walked out of the room. 

Kaiba shook his head watching the door close. It wasn’t that funny.

“What are we going to do?”

“No one needs to do anything.”

“W-what?”

He sighed through his nose, his chest tightening just looking at him. He was still shaking. Although the entire situation was outlandish and not his problem, he couldn’t leave Atem like that. “Go talk to Yuugi.”

“I can’t!”

“You can, the gun’s there.” He gestured with his head to the dresser and turned away from him to hunt down his shirt. “I can assure you he’s not angry.”

“He almost shot us.”

“I saw.” He grabbed his shirt, a white button up and slipped it on, still hunting down Atem’s. 

He found it on his side of the bed and picked it up, tossing it at him, then walked to the door. He put his hand on the doorknob and looked back but Atem hadn’t moved, gripping the shirt so tight it had to have wrinkles in it. “I should’ve let him shoot me.”

“Stop being dramatic.”

“I’m not being dramatic!” Atem screamed and shot off the bed. “Why are you so calm?! He’s a cop Kaiba! We’re dead!”

He shook his head and opened the door, muttering to himself, “No. I’m not doing this.” Storming down the hallway and looking into each room for Yuugi he kept repeating that same phrase over and over in his head. He was not doing this again. Not getting involved. Not dealing with it. Not his life. Not his problem. “Yuugi where the hell are you?”

“In here!” Yuugi shouted from the kitchen. “Getting us a drink. I don’t know about you but I need a drink.”

“Don’t get comfortable, we’re leaving.”

Yuugi stepped out with three glasses of something and frowned. “Why?”

He gestured to Atem who was standing not far behind him. Yuugi looked between them then walked into the living room and set the drinks down. “Atem it’s really okay. I’m sorry.”

Atem walked past him, his expression ever changing then glared back at him. “What are you playing at?”

Fuck this.

He stormed past him and grabbed the drink from Yuugi, ignoring that it spilled over the table. After taking a sip of it, he decided it wasn’t strong enough and went into the kitchen to dump it out. He could drink from whatever bottle was in there. Rum. Perfect. He snatched it off the counter and walked over to the doorway, leaning against it and watching Yuugi take a hesitant step towards Atem. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking I’ve been double crossed.”

Yuugi relaxed at that and started laughing again. “How are you the one thinking that?”

Atem flinched, but it didn’t derail him at all. “You’ve never met Seto before but you’re both acting like you’ve known each other for years.”

Yuugi stepped back and looked at him, then chewed his bottom lip turning back to Atem. “I’ll explain that, but I want to know what’s going on here first.”

Oh no. They’re not getting involved again! “No.”

“Kaiba we just dropped into a pretty big fight. Let me fix it!”

“How are you going to do that? You have no idea what’s going on and the more we know the more involved we get. Shut your damn mouth and let’s go.”

Yuugi ignored him. “Tell me what’s going on and I’ll tell you.”

“Why don’t you tell me first?”

“…Trust me.”

Atem didn’t say anything, staring at Yuugi. The tension slowly ebbed out of him and the room. Kaiba found it strange that even here, in the charged situation, Atem was willing to cut Yuugi the slack and give him the benefit of the doubt. Was their bond a constant between dimensions? 

“Did you poison that?”

“I don’t know why you’d trust my word for it but Kaiba’s drinking out of the bottle so that should be proof enough.” 

Atem smiled at him and walked over to the coffee table, taking the drink then sitting down on the sofa. Yuugi followed him, picking up the last one… that had a bendable straw in it. Kaiba rolled his eyes and walked into the room too, but he wasn’t talking. He was just waiting. While the room remained silent with them drinking and probably thinking of what to say to each other, Kaiba looked around the room. The sofa was nice, black real leather with mahogany feet. The coffee table was a sheet of glass over a cut geode reflecting the ceiling light off the amethyst inside it. Everything in the room was expensive, hell now that he thought about it, that kitchen was fully upgraded as well. Something he would’ve liked. The walls had pictures of both Yuugi and Atem, wedding photographs, awards and recognition for Yuugi’s achievements in the FBI, (’cop’ was down playing that a lot) photos with family and friends, and photos of Atem. He still found it odd that Joey was in none of them. 

“I’m not Atem Sennen. My real name is Atem Ishtar.” 

Kaiba started drinking again trying not to laugh. In this dimension, that probably would’ve earned a gasp or shouting or some reaction of shock and awe, but because Yuugi had no idea what was going on, that supposed ‘bomb’ sailed right over his head. “Okay.”

Atem frowned and tilted his head. “You have no idea what I’m talking about.”

“No. I do not.”

“Who are you?”

“That’s the question of the day isn’t it.” He smiled fondly and took a deep breath. “I'm not from this dimension. You’re going to need to explain more than that.”

“From what?”

Yuugi was losing Atem’s patience and attention quickly. He should help, but he wasn’t getting involved. Maybe if Atem freaked out on him, he’d want to leave sooner.

“I know it sounds crazy, but I’m not from this dimension. We accidentally broke our quantum cube that allows us to travel dimensions. It’s just throwing us everywhere. I have no idea what’s going on. It’s why I laughed back there,” Yuugi said, gesturing to the bedroom. “I just… woke up to that.”

Atem narrowed his eyes, leaning over to set the drink down. “You’re not lying.”

“No, I’m really genuinely confused as to this whole thing. I’d never shoot you. I don’t understand why I woke up like that.”

He fought a smile and lost, looking away from Yuugi and leaning back onto the sofa. “You would if you knew what I did.”

“And I’d love to hear it, so get a move on before Kaiba changes his mind.”

Atem glanced up at him then smiled at Yuugi. “Alright. You’re an FBI agent, we-”

“I’m a what?!”

“FBI,” Kaiba scoffed, tapping one of the awards with the bottle, “keep up.

“We got married last year. I… married you to get information. The FBI is investigating my family. We’re part of a… not very legal business.”

“Drugs, weapons, or people?” Atem and Yuugi looked up at him and he shook his head, walking back towards the kitchen. “Never mind I don’t want to know.”

“Well I do,” Yuugi said, staring wide eyed at Atem.

He worried the hem of his shirt. “Weapons, but I don’t handle that part. I intend to bring back all the artifacts of my country and heritage from every museum and lavish penthouse I can get my fingers on. I’m very good at it.”

“Heh, I didn’t think you had the guts for that.”

Atem glared at him, but continued talking to Yuugi, “I was trying to throw you off and feed information back to my family.”

“Okay that makes sense, but who’s Kaiba?”

“The CEO of Kaiba Corporation, a weapons manufacturing company who provides us with most of our deals and… my husband.”

“I’m lost.”

“I told you, you were getting too close so we had to do something. Seto and I agreed this was for the best.” He sighed. “It’s been a year. The family wants me to stay here with you but I haven’t seen him…”

Yuugi tilted his head and hummed. “That’s… I don’t know what to do to fix that.”

He had some ideas, but he’d be damned if he said a thing. He wanted to leave. 

“Fix it?” Atem smiled and turned on the sofa to face him more. “Why would you want to? I just-”

“Exactly,” Kaiba spat, interrupting Yuugi’s unwanted therapy session, “Leave it be. They can figure it out on their own. Let’s. Go.”

“No. They need our help, obviously, I almost shot both of you.”

“They need to be shot. It’s not our problem. Why are you making it one? You can’t fix every little thing.”

“I’m not fixing every little thing. I’m trying to help-”

“Knock it the fuck off! We have a dimension to get back to. We have shit to do, not play God in every dimension we walk into!”

Yuugi shot up from the sofa glaring at him. “Atem needs our help!”

“That’s not Atem! Our Atem isn’t here! He’s not in this dimension anymore than you are or I am!” He slammed the bottle down on the table beside him and gestured to this dimension's version of Atem. “He’s just a pathetic idiot doing illegal shit and taking advantage of the naive bastard who looks like you!”

“You’re wrong! They are all us. Anderson is you. That angel was me. This is Atem and he needs us!”

“You ran from him!”

“And I’m trying to fix it!” He screamed, and whether it was from the alcohol or the shock of it, he quirked a brow unable to respond. “Atem’s dead, Kaiba. He’s not in our dimension. He’s gone. You used this-” he pointed to the cube in his chest- “to see him again. It’s broken.”

“I used it before, we’ll make it back again.”

“If we don’t die first.”

“We wouldn’t have that problem if you’d just leave with me!”

“How do you know we won’t get stuck? How do you know we’ll ever make it back? You said it yourself, we’ll die infinite times in infinite realities trying to get back to the one THAT ATEM’S ALREADY DEAD IN! WHY?! So you can play a stupid game?”

“Watch it.”

“No! I want to be with Atem.”

“Then you shouldn’t have let him go to begin with!”

Yuugi flinched back, balling his fists, eyes distorted from tears. “He’s dead. He’s always been dead. How was I supposed to stop him?”

“You. Let. Him. Go. I watched you!”

“I have no more control over him than I have over you. If you wanted to leave do you think I could stop you?”

“You’re stopping me now!”

“I’m delaying you. I delayed him. That’s all I can do.” He hiccuped, and shook his head, looking away from him. “He promised me he’d stay with me forever, but then he found something else he wanted. I love him. I want him to be happy and have everything he could ever want, even if it’s not me.”

“That’s not love, that’s complacency!”

“Compersion.”

Kaiba shot his glare back to Atem, still on the sofa and watching them. “What?!”

“The word is compersion.” 

Yuugi spun around shaking his head. “No that’s not exactly… no.”

He stood up from the sofa and walked towards Yuugi taking his hand. “We’ll be fine.”

Yuugi wiped his face with his sleeve. “No you won’t. I might not know what’s going on, but it sounds like you-”

“Will be fine-” he smiled and squeezed his hand- “I promise.”

Yuugi started to argue with Atem but he’d had enough. He walked up to him and pulled him out of Atem’s hands. “Try not to get shot.”

Atem’s laughter filled the room and so did the gold. “No promises.”


	14. Stage Fright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since when did Yuugi like Ryou?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 13 AUgust Rock Band AU

The lights were blinding, the screams deafening… It felt great. This was better. Not right in the middle of dimension jumping, but better in general. More like home. He watched Atem kneel down at the front of the stage, his black shirt stuck to his back soaked in sweat. Kaiba rolled his shoulders and looked down at the guitar in his hands. He was soaked in sweat too. It had to be the middle of summer. Night time or not, he felt like he was breathing in steam. 

“What’s your name?” Atem’s voice boomed over the speakers.

He looked up at the video screen, zoomed on his face talking to a fan in the front row. 

“Yuugi.”

“Engaged huh? Congrats!”

He frowned at the screen, zooming out to show Ryou right behind him with his hands resting on Yuugi’s hips, mouthing ‘thank you.’ Ryou?! Since when was Yuugi interested in Ryou? 

“How would you both like to help us with this next song?”

Kaiba’s irritation piqued, glaring at the screen then at Ryou and Yuugi both taking Atem’s hand and being lifted onto the stage. They had fucking stairs. They could’ve taken that. Seemed security thought that as well and made a gesture to Atem, quickly ignored. 

“’Tem! Send ‘em up!” Joey shouted, leaning over the drum set on a platform, equally matted in sweat and waving a drumstick around. 

Ryou and Yuugi both beamed at him. Atem laughed, covered the mic and placed his hand on the small of Yuugi’s back. “Head up that way.”

Ryou led him, holding onto Yuugi’s hand. He glared at it, still confused how this happened to begin with. They walked by him, but before Yuugi could step up onto the platform after Ryou he grabbed him. Ryou blinked, unsure what to do. For once in his life he was so happy Joey was there. “Hey what’s your name?”

He turned to Joey and smiled. “Ryou.”

“Heh, alright, Don’t worry Ryou. He don’t bite. He’s just an ass.”

Ryou laughed and let Yuugi go. 

Pulling Yuugi away with one hand, Kaiba took the guitar off his shoulder with the other. He was pissed and uncomfortable, though he couldn’t figure out why aside from the sweltering heat. Yuugi didn’t seem to notice, still watching Ryou settle on another stool in front of Joey and holding one of his drumsticks hanging on every word he had to say. When he turned to face him, his fond loving smile changed to that of recognition. “Very smooth Kaiba.”

And now he was furious. That smile, that look meant more than just ‘playing along’. “Let’s go.” 

He lifted the strap of the guitar, putting it over Yuugi’s head and pulling him against his chest. Atem glanced back at them a suggestive smirk on his lips. “Ready?”

He nodded while Yuugi giggled. The stage shimmered gold, though he was surprised when Yuugi laid his head back on him. “What’s wrong?” 


	15. Buttercup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ANYONE BUT WHEELER!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 14 AUgust Vampire AU

Opening his eyes to pitch black, warm and comfortable and really tired, Kaiba debated on going back to sleep. When was the last time he slept so comfortably? When was there a bed this warm and comfortable? The more he thought about it the more awake he became, realizing he wasn’t even laying on a bed, though he was pretty sure he was in one. He felt the blanket over his waist, but he wasn’t lying on something soft, though no less comfortable. He should probably just ignore it. Again, when was the last time he was this comfortable? 

He closed his eyes drifting off when he felt a hand in his hair, lazily playing with it. He was wide awake, still warm, still comfortable despite the unsettling realization he was laying on someone. What was causing the disconnect? He forced himself up, trying to see an outline in the dark but nothing was discernible. The hand was still in his hair. He should feel uncomfortable. Why wasn’t he uncomfortable?

He climbed off of them, trying not to wake them up though he doubted they’d stay asleep when he found the light. Sliding out of bed, he realized he wasn’t wearing anything again. Rolling his eyes, he fumbled around the nightstand until he found the light switch, flipping it on. 

No no no no no no no! Anyone but Wheeler! 

“Ugh! Kaiba turn the fuckin’ light off!” he snarled and it held an animalistic growl. “Some of us gotta sleep ya know. We’re still fuckin’ alive.” He rolled over and grabbed a pillow covering his head. 

He couldn’t move couldn’t breathe couldn’t believe HE STILL FELT COMFORTABLE though his mind was reeling. He forced himself to move, searching for clothes. When he found them he thanked whoever made them because he wanted to burn his skin off, being covered head to toe was good enough. He dashed for the door, not before hearing Joey snicker all too endearingly and the flip of the light switch, “Bastard.”

He needed to find Yuugi. He needed to find him now! Though hall after hall and stair case and turn, he found himself completely lost in a castle, mountains off in the distance highlighted by a shaded version of the sun. He kept looking in every room, trying not to scream. 

“We should be in bed, _habibi_.”

Yuugi laughed. “I know but… Just one more.”

“Okay.”

He ran towards Atem’s voice, talking to Yuugi in Arabic about a knight and a wolf. It sounded like his voice came from inside a room, flickering with fire light. He found him! Racing to the door, he held on to the frame looking inside. Yuugi sat crosslegged on a rug facing Atem who was sprawled out on it staring up at the ceiling. Kaiba frowned, wondering why he felt like he was in a castle while Yuugi wore a very different style of clothes. “What are you wearing?”

Yuugi looked up at him and smiled, showing a mouth full of sharp fangs. “Kaiba! You should hear this too.”

He couldn’t look away from the fangs.

“ _Habibi_ , look at you. You’re starving. You need to eat and we need to sleep.”

“Please just one more.”

Fuck that! If he had to stay in this dimension for another second, he’d hang himself. “No.”

He stormed into the room and scooped Yuugi up off the ground. He cackled and squirmed. “Noooo!”

He turned carrying him through the gold to the doorway. Whatever dimension they’d go to better have showers.


	16. Through the Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even the smallest differences can have a huge impact, as Yuugi and Kaiba are discovering in this dimension.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 15 AUgust Role Reversal AU

Kaiba woke up to heaven. Well it wasn’t heaven but it might as well be. Earth, lit up by the sun through the window provided the perfect backdrop to the one thing he’d ached to see. The puzzle. He hesitated, reaching out to touch it then took it out of the field. Complete. The puzzle was complete. He looked around the space station, absentmindedly running a finger along the outline of the cube in his chest beneath his black shirt. He could do what he’d planned to in the other dimension before Yuugi fell on him. He could get them home. 

“Call Mokuba.”

A screen popped up to his left while he turned the puzzle over in his hands looking for subtle differences.

“Hey big bro! Did you figure out how to open it yet?”

He shot him a glance then looked back at the puzzle. So that was the difference; instead of a puzzle it was a solid piece of metal. “No, but I have something more important to work on. I need you to pick up Yuugi for me.”

Mokuba didn’t say anything, then the video ended. He frowned at it. “Call Mokuba.”

“Sorry, Mr. Kaiba. Mokuba can not be reached.”

“Define disconnection.”

“Refusal to answer.”

“That little brat,’” he muttered and walked through the empty station to the pod. 

Fine. He’d get him himself.

—

Domino city was the same, his mansion was the same, Kaiba Corp was the same, everything, all of it, even his new duel disk tech was the same. The game shop… was not. Standing in front of a run down antiques shop, he tilted his head looking it over. Despite its appearance, many people walked in and out of it, parcels in their hands and smiles on their faces, just like at the game shop. He walked in, unsure what he’d be met with, though he hoped Yuugi would be there. 

“What a curious thing?!” an older woman gasped, a clicking wind up sound filling the small shop, then music played and she cooed at it. “It’s beautiful.”

“If you wind it up to the right number, it’ll play a special song too.”

“Atem?” he breathed, watching the woman side-step to her purse revealing Atem behind the counter, Yuugi’s grandfather sweeping off to his side. 

“Young man I’ll take it!”

He smiled and rang it up for her, wrapping it in a similar parcel as the others then handing it to her. “Have a great day, ma’am.”

She laughed, nodding and waving to him and to Yuugi’s grandfather, then walked by him. He’d stopped looking at her, focusing on the strange look Atem gave him before darting into the back. Yuugi’s grandfather walked up to the counter with a forced smile. He supposed he deserved that from him at least. “What can I help you with Mr. Kaiba?”

“I need to speak to…” He needed to speak with Yuugi, but now he realized that might be asking the wrong question. Mokuba hung up on him, Atem ran off, this wasn’t a game shop and that definitely wasn’t a puzzle in his briefcase. “Atem.”

Yuugi’s grandfather clicked his tongue against his teeth then set the broom against the counter. “If you promise to respect my house and my grandson, I’ll let you through.”

He had no idea what that was supposed to mean, but whatever face he made caused the old man to step aside, lifting the counter for him to walk through. He passed him, watching him the entire time. Something wasn’t right. Something else on top of the shop and the puzzle being different. Despite that, the stairs to Yuugi’s room were the same and he walked up them, trying to push away the memory of walking up those stairs dead. He remembered sitting on that bed all night trying to decide what to do. In retrospect, he wasn’t sure why this room was the place he felt he needed to go to. He didn’t do much thinking about it then, and to be fair, thinking was so difficult. 

Pushing open Yuugi’s partly cracked door, he found even more startling differences. His room was covered in Duel Monsters memorabilia and Ancient Egyptian nuances, far more than Yuugi’s room. Atem sat on his bed, startled when the door opened. “Kaiba?! Leave me alone.”

He frowned and walked in anyway, closing the door behind him. “I’m looking for Yuugi.”

Atem glared at him, for the first time in any dimension, with seething hatred. He didn’t even look at him like that when he tore Yuugi’s wings off. What the hell happened here?!

“Get out!”

“You don’t understand. I’m not-”

“I don’t give a damn what you’re doing Kaiba. Yuugi’s gone. I told you that. He’s not coming back! Get out!!”

Oh.

He looked down at the briefcase in his hand then back up to Atem, still radiating rage and grief. He needed to leave. Yuugi wasn’t here and if this dimension was anything like his, that meant Yuugi wasn’t anywhere. Turning on his heel, he left the room, slamming the door and ran down the stairs. Dread creeped into his entire being as he raced through the shop to the limo. He had to figure out how to get Yuugi back or he’d never get home.

—

“You know… It’s a good thing I was a girl in one dimension or this would be really weird.” He giggled to himself staring at Tea in the floor length mirror. “but don’t worry Tea. Your body’s safe with me! I won’t look… unless I have to. In which case I apologize in advance.”

Her phone buzzed, dancing across the vanity, lit up with Joey’s name on it. He grabbed it and answered the call putting the phone to his ear. “Hey Joey!”

“Tea… we gotta problem.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Kaiba came by again uh… Atem needs some support. Can ya come over ta the shop?”

Kaiba? Atem… “Uh yeah, yeah I’ll be right there.”

“Good. Ryou and Tris are on their way too.”

“Great. See you soon.”

The line disconnected and he glanced back to the mirror, feeling like something was very wrong. If he was in Tea’s body, Kaiba could be in anyone’s body. Poor Kaiba. At least he knew Tea. He grabbed her purse hanging on her bedroom door and tossed it over her shoulder, walking out the door. Choosing shoes was a chore, but he found ones he could walk in that matched her outfit. She’d come back to haunt him with a vengeance if he messed up her style. She’d done it before. He smiled to himself walking outside onto the sidewalk. 

The game shop was only a block or so away and he couldn’t wait to see it! It’d be a sight for sore eyes! The home away from home he’d been dying to see since he got into this whole mess. Domino city smelled the same, looked the same, sounded the same, and he breathed it in, took it in, watched everything he could. Home home home home home! Though it wasn’t home, nothing could dampen his spirits. 

Walking through the city, he had time to reflect on where he’d been and how far from home he’d felt up til now. He couldn’t believe Grandpa threatened someone with a shotgun, couldn’t believe he almost killed Atem and Kaiba and really couldn’t believe he was actually a vampire! The most surprising wasn’t in any of those, it was standing in the front row of the concert talking to Atem with Ryou’s arms around him. He felt like the universe was trying to tell him something, though he had no idea what that was. 

It was comforting to know that even if he never got back to Atem, he had some place loving and warm to be, but he felt like a horrible person for thinking that. He saw how happy Ryou was with Joey in the dimension with the beautiful soulmate tattoos. Ryou wasn’t his. Could he live with himself knowing he’d taken him away from his real soulmate?

A smile pulled at his lips thinking back on that dimension. He still couldn’t believe that Kaiba pulled him away. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think Kaiba might possibly have been jealous. Or maybe he was just wanting to jump dimensions again. He had no idea why. Kaiba loved the spotlight almost as much as Yuugi loved staring at Atem in a drenched black tank top contoured to his every curve. Kaiba had to as well; robot or not. 

He giggled, rounding the corner when he realized… the game shop was gone. In its place was a quaint antique shop with his grandpa sweeping out front. He frowned at grandpa, then the shop then grandpa again. “What are you doing?”

He looked up at Yuugi and grinned. “Oh hello, Tea! Atem and Joey are upstairs. You’ve got your work cut out for you this time.”

“I… I do?”

Grandpa nodded and sighed, going back to sweeping off the front stoop. “Poor boy. I should’ve told him to leave.”

He didn’t know what to think of that, but decided to talk to Atem about it. Grandpa seemed to think Atem was upset. He could make him feel better. He always did before. He walked into the shop unsettled by the uncanny likeness and startling difference. It made him wrap his arms around himself wanting to scratch an itch on his arms and back that just wouldn’t go away. He ran through the shop to the back, still feeling it running up the stairs. Though in his room, in Atem’s room, the uncanniness faded into pure shock. Atem’s room was how he thought it would be if they’d- “Switched places. Ohhhh that explains a lot.”

Joey and Atem looked up. Thankfully what he’d said went unnoticed. Atem hit Joey on the shoulder and he jumped. “What's that for?!”

“I told you not to call anyone!”

“Well too late. Joey’s way ahead of you.” Yuugi smiled and walked into the room up to his bed, Atem’s bed. “What happened?”

Joey answered for him, “Kaiba came by again.”

“Why?”

“Why do you think?” Atem spat, “The same reason he’s been harassing me all month.”

“He’s tryin’ ta get Yuug’ back.”

“I keep telling him he’s gone. The golden pyramid is closed. It’s locked. I can’t open it anymore. And even if I could, he’s not there.”

Yuugi nodded like he understood. He did not. Though he did follow the parallels. “He’s levels of stubborn.”

“He’s a bastard with a stick up his ass the size a Domino,” Joey muttered.

Yuugi giggled and nodded, then leaned forward to make Atem look up at him. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. It’ll make you feel better.”

“I don’t want to go anywhere.”

“I know,” he murmured, smiling and gently taking his wrist. “Trust me, I know, but you have to let us help you or you’ll waste away in here thinking of all the things that could’ve been and what you could’ve changed. Let’s take your mind off of it, even for a minute.”

Yuugi helped him up and linked his arm with him, leading him out of the room. Joey called Tristan and Ryou, telling them to meet them at their favorite burger place. That at least hadn’t changed, or maybe it was their favorite because it reminded Atem of him. Either way, they walked to the restaurant and ordered food. Tristan and Ryou weren’t far behind. They spent the rest of the night talking and reminiscing. Most of it was the same, the duels, the bad guys, the millennium items. The startling difference was Yuugi’s place as the Pharaoh and Atem’s place as a typical kid from Domino City. It changed Joey’s relationship with Atem, instead of bullying Yuugi because he thought he was weak, he picked on Atem because he thought he was like Kaiba, too good for everyone, but their friendship started the exact same. All of them, the same. 

The way they talked about ‘Yuugi’ reminded him of how his friends talked about Atem. They missed him, he changed their lives, they hoped he was doing great things and happy with his family and friends in _Aaru_. They wished that for Yuugi too. Atem didn’t ‘wish it’ though. He sounded like he knew for a fact that Yuugi was better off, happier, and thriving there, almost bitterly. He picked up on a few leads, pushed the conversation more, and found out that Atem defeated him in the ceremonial duel, just like Yuugi did him, but instead of wanting to leave, Yuugi asked Atem to stay with him. Atem refused to let him stay.

Because of that decision Kaiba made Atem’s life hell, fighting with him more than he ever did with Joey, dug up the millennium puzzle or pyramid and insisted Atem bring Yuugi back. By the end of the night everyone went home, but Yuugi walked alongside Atem towards the shop with questions he had to know the answers too that he didn’t want to ask in front of their friends. These questions were between two very heart broken souls that had to let someone they loved go. Yuugi understood.

“Atem.”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t get defensive when I ask this, but why didn’t you let Yuugi” -wow that sounded weird- “stay?” 

Atem slowed to a stop and looked him in the eyes. At first he didn’t think he was going to answer, at least with the real answer, then his gaze softened and he looked away. “I… didn’t want to live in his shadow.”

“His… shadow?”

Atem nodded and continued walking again. “He was everything I’m not; kind, courageous and hopeful. We worked so well together…”

“You really did. So why do you think he’d overshadow you?”

Atem smiled and nudged him. “Because I know he can.”

“He didn’t think so.”

“Oh I know. I should add modesty to that list. He deserved more than me, he deserved to have everything he could get his hands on and if he stayed with me and I pushed him to be what I know he could be, and the same as him for me, we’d be too much for this one body and one space. It’d accumulate to both of us meeting an end we couldn’t stomach.”

Yuugi looped his fingers around his wrist, stopping him from walking. He… hadn’t thought of it like that before. Is that why Atem left? He thought they couldn’t do this together as one? “He never would’ve overshadowed you. He wanted everything for you.”

Atem looked pained, but only for a heartbeat. “I made my decision, Tea. I can’t take it back.”

Should he? It hurt him so much to watch Atem going through the same second thoughts he had as they walked together to the shop. He wasn’t simply mirroring the second thoughts though. The look on Atem’s face in the dimension Yuugi was an angel came to mind. He hurt Atem here just like that, and he was sure he had no idea. Running over in his head what he imagined it would've been like to be the one at the door, begging Atem to let him stay and having him refuse… it hurt. Atem didn’t do it because he didn’t want him there, it was everything else, all the reasons Yuugi let Atem go in the first place. It solidified one thing, Atem didn’t want to leave. He wanted to stay, he just thought, like Yuugi did, there was no option to stay. 

Even with the regret and that heartbreak, Atem still hoped Yuugi was happy where he was. He sounded so sure he was before, now Yuugi wondered if that was just Atem telling himself that so he’d believe it. If he had a chance to see his Atem again and tell him how much this tore him up, would he regret leaving as well or would he make sure he knew he was happy? “He doesn’t hate you.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I can tell you, with 100 percent certainty, he does not hate you. You both had to make a horrible decision, one no one should ever have to make.” He squeezed his wrist, vision blurred from tears. “Atem you made the right one.”

He fumbled a few words before giving up completely and wrapped his arms around him. “Thank you, Tea.”

He should tell him he wasn’t her… but how could he? He had to leave again.

—

After making sure Atem was home, he walked to Kaiba Corp. He had a lot to say to Kaiba, in his dimension and this one. A good earful of things to scream at him for and he ran them over in his head as he stood in the elevator to Kaiba’s office. At least he wasn’t in the space station this time. 

The doors opened and he walked through to Kaiba’s office. When he opened the doors he frowned. Mokuba wasn't there. Where was he? Kaiba looked up from his desk, tickets, wires, tools, and who knew what else littered it and the floor. He scoffed. “Who let you in?”

“Well Mokuba wasn’t here so I let myself in.”

Yuugi noted the flash of worry in creasing his brow before it was consumed with a deadly glare. “Get out.”

“No.” He walked in and closed the door, making Kaiba bristle more. Good. Make him uncomfortable after how uncomfortable and hurt he’d made Atem, how badly he’d hurt him trying to chase something long gone and this dimension shed a lot of light on some questions he should’ve asked before. “I’ll get out if you answer one question for me.”

Kaiba looked back down at the mess and reached for a keypad on the side of the desk.

“Why do you respect Atem more than me? Cause it sure seems like you respected me more than Atem in this dimension and I’m really curious why that is.”

Kaiba slowly raised his head to look at him and sighed. “Yuugi?”

He bowed, positive the cube glowed through the low cut blouse. “So? What is it?”

“I don’t have to explain anything to you.”

“No. No you don’t. Though I can’t help but see it blaring me in the face. I keep trying to give you the benefit of the doubt Kaiba, but this?” He gestured to the door. “You hurt Atem! He thinks you hate him. And that’s how it is, isn’t it? It has nothing to do with us. It’s the one who’s dead. You respect him because he died. That’s it, isn’t it? I’m breathing so I’m not worth it.”

“AGAIN, this is NOT me! Don’t compare me to someone else!”

“You are you in every dimension, Kaiba. I know who you are and I can see you in every single one of them! The only difference here is Atem and I switched places. You’re still going after someone who’s DEAD! What is it? So afraid you’re going to lose to someone who should be below you, you’d rather believe the only reason he ever won was he was dead? Is your ego so big you can’t fathom the idea of someone human, someone living, breathing, trying and existing on the same plan as you, actually kicking your ass?!”

Kaiba had the nerve to look taken aback.

“It has nothing to do with us. It has everything to do with you. You have to defy death because you want so badly to believe the only reason you lost is because there was an Act of God involved. I’m here because I love Atem and I’m dying from the guilt of losing him. I thought you felt that too. You don’t.”

Kaiba shot up and threw the metal conglomeration of trinkets and wires at his face. He barely managed to duck when it sailed past him, scratching his cheek and slamming into the wall shattering. He stood up, catching the look of absolute horror on Kaiba’s face before it twisted into rage. “That was the only way to get the cube to stop malfunctioning. There’s no other- Fine.” He stormed around his desk and shot past him to the door. “You want to know why I’m here? Why I respect Atem more? I’ll show you.”

Yuugi ran after him towards the elevator. He barely got in before it closed, watching Kaiba type something into the pad and the elevator shot down. He had to hold on to keep from falling over, his stomach in his throat. Then it slowed too fast, his knees buckling before it stopped. The doors moved, and Kaiba was out before they finished opening. 

He had to race after him again, thankful he chose flat shoes, or he wouldn’t have made it to the limo before Kaiba had Roland shut the door. Sitting in the limo, he watched Kaiba, ridged and furious, his fingers twitching on his sleeves. They drove to the antique store, the one that felt like the game shop but wasn’t. He ran after Kaiba, trying to stop him from opening the door and honestly surprised it was unlocked, even more surprised Atem was awake and sitting on the counter. “Kaiba I already- Tea?! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“I don’t care what you own in this city, you don’t-”

“That’s enough. Atem, you sent Yuugi away. He’s gone because of you.”

“We’ve been over-”

“No. No we haven’t. You sent him away when he wanted to stay here. He did everything for you and you told him he had no place here after you promised him you’d let him stay. You broke your word. You’re a liar and worthless. Even now you’re doing nothing you promised him you’d do. You’re no better than Wheeler.”

Atem’s anger dissipated and he stood up straight though his shoulders slumped just slightly. “I did what I had to. He’s better off this way.”

Kaiba spun around, his gaze so cold Yuugi shivered. “And you. You’re worse. You never asked him what he wanted. You sent him to die. He never lived a life outside of what he should do, what he needed to do. He never had a choice, just duty and what’s expected of him and his desire to surpass that. You didn’t build him up. You didn’t show him he had a choice. You didn’t help him. You held him back, and when you had the chance to do what he wanted, you did what they wanted.”

Yuugi balled his fists, tears spilling down his cheeks. “Fuck you.”

“You’re showing me, right now, you still don’t deserve my respect or anyone's respect. Crying changes nothing. Even here, with your roles reversed, Atem still has my respect. It isn’t death. It isn’t winning or losing. It’s the understanding that what you have to do is going to hurt, being able to live with it, and move forward. You can’t.”

“One of us shouldn’t.” Yuugi wiped his cheek, wincing from the sting of his tears getting into the cut. “Are you trying to tell me you don’t regret anything?”

“I regret ever thinking that tears would stop the pain living.”

Yuugi took a calming breath, furrowing his brow and studying Kaiba’s face. He didn’t appear mad, though he knew he had to be, he didn’t appear like anything just… completely devoid of emotion. “I think you just want someone to tell you it’s okay to be numb.”

“And you want someone to tell you you did the right thing. You didn’t. You didn’t fight for him. You fought for yourself.”

“Something I-” Atem said, stepping to the side- “taught him to do.”

Yuugi smiled. “Yeah, you did.”

“Yuugi?”

“Yes… and no. It’s complicated.” He laughed though it sounded like a sob and stumbled back from Atem rushing up and pulling him into a crushing hug.

“It’s really you?”

“It’s complicated.”

He hugged him back, burying his face into his shoulder when he heard the shop’s bell ring. He tried to move but Atem held him there. “Let him go.”

“Okay.”

—

He stayed there with Atem, laying in his room that wasn’t his, on his bed that wasn’t his, talking to Atem about how hard it was to let him go and how badly he tried to move on. He told this Atem everything he wanted to tell his, and how much he understood every ounce of pain. He felt it too. They talked about every single dimension he saw, all the different versions of them. 

Come morning (after a very short nap), he sat on the counter in Atem’s clothes. He wasn’t planning on leaving until Kaiba cooled off anyway. These clothes were just more comfortable. Atem sat across from him, a bowl of grapes between them while Grandpa hobbled around back and forth, eavesdropping. He knew what he was up to.

Eyeing him as he disappeared into the back, Atem laughed. “He’s been doing that all morning.”

“Probably all night.”

“He’s got the wrong idea.”

Yuugi giggled. “Definitely.” 

“This will be interesting to explain to Tea.”

“I don’t envy you.”

He laughed. “I don’t envy you either. Kaiba’s not the easiest to get along with and everywhere you’ve been sounds like it’s taking a lot out of both of you.”

“You gathered that huh?” Yuugi snickered and shook his head. “Yeah you’re right. I should probably apologize to Kaiba.”

“As much as I am still on cloud nine that you just waltzed into his office and handed his ass to him, after you explained everything, yes you probably should.”

He sighed, staring down at the grape between his fingers. 

“Kaiba does respect you. You know that right?”

“Ha. Very funny Atem. In this dimension apparently he-”

“In yours.”

“How are you getting that out of anything I’ve said?”

“Two reasons, he could’ve had security kick you out, instead, he argued with you. Kaiba doesn’t waste his time.”

Yuugi nodded. Atem wasn’t wrong.

”And I’m pretty sure you somehow hurt his feelings.”

“Ha! Dented that ridiculous ego of his maybe.”

Atem laughed, leaning forward slightly and tilting his head. “I’m a little curious why it bothers you so much, partner. Since when did you start caring what Kaiba thinks of you?”

He had a reason, opened his mouth to say it and it fizzled out, unraveled, shriveled and died right on the tip of his tongue. “Don’t ask me stuff like that. I don’t know.” He sighed and shook his head. “I feel so backwards and stretched out. I don’t know what’s going on.”

“Being in Tea’s body probably doesn’t help that.”

He giggled, looking down at himself. “Yeah. Though, at least it’s not like before.”

“That had to be eye opening.”

He laughed and nodded. “I thought I was going to die.”

Atem looked at the door to the shop then him, studying his face. “Do you feel like all of them are following you?”

“What?”

“The different versions of yourself. Do you think that with each one you meet you’re keeping part of them?”

Yuugi blinked. That was a hell of a question. Was he? He had to think about it. “No… Most of them never interacted with me.”

“The angel did.”

“Yeah.”

“And so did the girl right?”

“Yeah. She was… I don’t know what she was doing. Kaiba was something though. You should’ve seen her.” He frowned, setting the grape back into the bowl. “This whole thing feels like a bad joke. A ‘hey it could’ve been like this, but life hates you’. Every single one. Even that one.” He laughed and looked up, wondering just how similar this dimension was. It seemed almost identical but… “Did we ever talk about being married as pharaoh?”

Atem grinned and popped a grape into his mouth, nodding. 

“You remember that conversation?”

“It was a fairly important one. Yes.”

“Important?”

Atem mirrored his suspicious gaze. “Was it not important to you?”

“I’m starting to wonder if it was the same at all.”

He laughed. “It was long and it helped me figure out some things about myself. It was important to me.”

It was long and he could definitely see Atem, his Atem, saying that about it. Although it had zero importance. Atem had to leave. Swinging his heels against the glass counter, he frowned at the antiques hidden inside. “I guess… After you left I gave up on thinking about it. It would’ve been really important… if you would’ve stayed.”

“Why?”

“It was always easier to see what I wanted when I had you with me. It helped that we always wanted the same things… Or before all this I thought we did.”

“What makes you think we don’t?”

“… I don’t know what I want,” he murmured. “The only thing I know I want feels like it didn’t happen.”

“What is that?”

“I was really wanting, really hoping and praying you weren’t still lost and alone anymore.” He looked up and leaned forward, resting his head on Atem’s shoulder and sliding his fingertips over the bumps of Atem’s spine. 

“We still want the same things.” He whispered into his hair. “A lot of things we can’t have and we know it.”

“More reasons why Kaiba’s a bastard.”

Atem laughed, deep and rich, the vibrations of it soothing. He loved his laugh so much. Hearing it should help the pain of losing him, but it just reminded him of yet another part of the ‘could have been’ that never was. “Speaking of Kaiba… We should go and apologize.”

“We?”

“I’m not letting you go in there alone. Again, I’m pretty sure you hurt his feelings.”

“You think he’s going to hurt me?”

“No I just don’t think you’ll be able to get in there without some help.”

Yuugi laughed. “Yeah. That’s true.”

Atem slid off the counter and helped him down, holding onto his hand when he called back. “I’ll be right back Grandpa. I’m going to take Tea home.”

Grandpa popped out of the back like he was waiting for that exact moment with a huge grin. “Okay, be careful!”

Yuugi shook his head, laughing. Grandpa was a mess. They walked out of the shop before Yuugi had a chance to say anything. Atem still holding onto his hand. They talked about why the shop was different. How their family moved more towards historical treasures instead of games. He loved that difference though. It just felt right now that he knew why. 

Atem wasn’t him and this dimension took that into account didn’t it? 

Kaiba corp came into view and Yuugi lost the will to talk, realizing that he’d have to actually talk to Kaiba pretty soon. The glass doors opened and he walked into the lobby, Atem trailing behind him. Out of nowhere someone from security stepped in front of him. He gasped and jumped back, not sure where the hell he came from. “Miss Gardner, I am under strict orders from the CEO of Kaiba Corp that you are not to enter the premises. I must ask you to leave.”

“What?”

“Really hurt his feelings.”

“There must be some misunderstanding,” Yuugi murmured, still in shock. “Just… call him. Tell him Yuugi Mutou’s here to talk to him.”

The security guard shook his head curtly. “I’m afraid I cannot do that. I was informed you might try to use another alias.”

“Alias?!”

Atem hummed and pulled on his arm. “Come on Yuugi. He needs to cool off.”

“Cool off?! Atem I don’t know if time’s moving the same speed here as it is for our dimension. We need to leave and we can’t-” He clamped his mouth shut at the look of hurt that crossed Atem’s face. This… this is why he didn’t want to tell him. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Yeah we should go.”

Atem led him out. Every step hurt.

He tried the next day. Got the same answer.

Tried three days after that. Didn’t even get the door open.

By the end of the second week, he started getting worried. Kaiba wanted out. Sure he was stubborn, but this… this wasn’t like that. 

—

“Seto.”

He ignored it.

“Big bro, I’m coming in there.”

Still ignored it.

“Alright.”

A loud bang, scratching, then pops, hisses, and fizzles. Kaiba stared at the metal door with wide eyes as it glowed and sparked in a surprisingly straight line up the side of the door. “Mokuba are you using a blowtorch?”

Another pop and hiss, the glow and sparks gone. He saw a shadow move in the glowing metal. “Yes. Yes I am. If you’re going to be over the top, I can be over the top. Learned from the best.”

“I’m working.”

“Oh what? Definitely not Duel disk tech or literally anything to do with actual work. So… Am I blowtorching the door down or are you going to open up?”

He scowled at the door. “Release mechanism.”

The locking mechanism whirled and twisted, pulling steel beams from the sides of the door. As soon as that finished, Mokuba was way ahead of him. “Open.”

It slid away, revealing Mokuba in a smart light grey suit; ridiculous in companion to the welders helmet and the blowtorch in his hands. He lifted up the helmet grinning ear to ear. “Hey! You’re alive!”

He scoffed, looking back down at the circuitry he was working on. The device was up and ready, but it didn’t test well. Glancing at the incinerated briefcase in the corner, he hummed to himself. Maybe it wasn’t the circuitry. 

“Wow…” Mokuba walked up to the metal ring, taking the helmet off his head and setting it down at his feet. “What is this?”

“Hopefully, it’ll allow me to navigate and travel to alternate dimensions.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“I just… What happened to looking for Yuugi? Do you think he’s in an alternate dimension or something?”

“Mentally, yes,” he muttered, squinting at the test results on the holographic screen beside him. It needed more power. “Of course it fucking does.”

“I’m surprised Atem’s not up here helping you.”

“I don’t need his help, I don’t need Yuugi’s help, and I don’t need your help. You’re not talking to me anyway remember? Why do you give a damn what I do up here?” 

Sifting through the charts of power usage and sources for Kaiba Corp, the station, and all their Dueling arenas for more power he could pull off them, he muttered the numbers under his breath. He had it, a way to boost the power and reached out to touch the holographic screen when Mokuba walked through it, distorting it. “Who are you?”

He sat back to tell Mokuba to leave but he was honestly surprised by the shift. Mokuba wasn’t joking with him, he was dead serious, looking at him down his nose. 

“Who are you?”

He couldn’t help it, his lips curled betraying him. “I should’ve made you blowtorch it down.”

“Yeah. You really should have. So? Who are you?”

“I’m me from another dimension. I’m trying to get back.”

“Oh… well that explains a-” Mokuba blinked and quirked a brow. “Wait a minute. Why did you say you didn’t need Yuugi’s help?”

He sighed, standing up. “I came here with Yuugi.”

“Yuugi’s… wait Yuugi’s here? Where?! We need to tell Atem!”

“He’s with Atem.”

“I would’ve seen him.”

“Are you talking to Atem?”

“Well… I kind of… threatened him since I saw him hanging around with Tea a lot more… and closer. I thought that was the reason you were up here like a hermit.” Mokuba shrugged his shoulders. “But he said Tea hurt your feelings.”

“He said what?!”

Mokuba chuckled. “Well it checks out. You have security sweeping the place to keep her out, even talked to legal about getting a restraining order.”

“I’m making damn sure he can’t fuck everything up for me again.” He stormed around to the other side of the machine. “I could care less what he does or did.”

Mokuba followed him. “He?”

“I used a device to find Atem in _Aaru_. Yuugi broke it, and because of that we’re tossed into whatever versions of ourselves exist in the random dimension we enter. Since Yuugi’s not in this one, it chose someone else. Though I’m surprised it didn’t choose Atem.”

“Yeah… That would make a lot more sense.” Mokuba watched him jam the screwdriver into the keypad plate. “If you came here together, why aren’t you leaving with him?”

“I’ve had enough. If it weren’t for him I would’ve won by now. If it weren’t for him dragging his feet, wanting to stay, wanting to get involved and making ridiculous accusations to slow me down, we could be home! He can rot here for all I care! He gets what he wants, I get what I want.” The plate came off with a loud pop and flew across the room. 

Mokuba sighed, “Wow…”

He muttered under his breath, going after the lost plate when he heard Mokuba say from behind him, “Okay Seto! I’ll help you.”

“I don’t need-”

“Yeah yeah I know, but big brother’s waited to talk to Yuugi for 3 years. The faster you get out of here, the faster that’ll happen, right?”

“Why? So he can be held back too?”

Mokuba smiled, the strangest smile he’d seen on him yet and shook his head. “You’re so weird.”

He snatched the plate from the ground and stormed back over to the panel to reroute the power. He had it ready, just one more button to push when Mokuba sighed. “This won’t work.”

“It will, I just need more power.”

“Well… Yes I think it will actually, but this machine transports matter not- hmmm- whatever it is you are that’s possessing my big brother.”

He froze, slowly looking up at the machine. Mokuba was right. 

“That’s alright! You got the basics all done. We just need to figure out what part of you isn’t big brother and override the sensors.”

Kaiba watched Mokuba happily walk up to a wall, tapping it with his foot to reveal a hidden computer board. That was new. And curious. “Mokuba.”

“Yeah?”

“What if there isn’t a difference?”

He didn’t stop or even pause, walking around the space station and booting up the equipment. “Ha! Yeah, you’re not big brother… close but not the same.”

It was comforting to hear him say that, it meant he was right and Yuugi was wrong and he really really wanted Yuugi to be wrong. “Why is Yuugi so important here?”

“Can’t tell you that. It’s classified.” Mokuba giggled, leaning on the control panel while a screen flickered to life. “So classified, Atem’s friends don’t know either.”

He narrowed his eyes, watching Mokuba’s movements like this part of the process he knew like the back of his hand…. Like this version of himself already figured out how to separate and extract souls.

“It feels like you’re trying to get rid of me.”

“I most definitely am.”

“Why?”

“Classified,” Mokuba grinned at him then went back to opening more walls and computers.

“Mokuba.”

He giggled and turned to face him. “From everything I’ve seen and heard so far you really don’t want to know. I’m saving you a lot of trouble.”

“I have his memories stored in this,” Kaiba said, laying his fingers over the headset. “There’s nothing you could know that I don’t.”

“Ha! Well… apparently big brother is way more paranoid than I thought he was. And that’s saying something.”

“Just tell me.”

“Classified.”

“Mokuba!”

A circle lowered out of the floor, a glowing blue plate lifted up from it about a foot. “Just step up here and we’ll get you both separated so you can leave.”

“What is that?”

“This is what you, or I mean, he’s been working on with Atem. It can extract and detect separate souls within one body. They made it for Yuugi.”

“Why?”

“Classified.”

“You’re starting to piss me off.”

“Why? Because I’m helping you?”

“No. I don’t think you are.”

Mokuba stepped away from the machines and slid his hands into his pockets fanning out the tails of his suit coat. “You want out. Big brother wants him here. You can leave, we’ll make sure Yuugi and Tea are alright.”

It sounded perfect. Why did he feel like there was a catch?

“So, step up.” He stepped to the side and gestured to the platform.

“Is this a set up?”

Mokuba laughed and shook his head. “Wow. The likeness is uncanny. Don’t worry about it. You might not be my big brother, but you’re one of the infinite versions of me’s big brother. Right?”

Right. Glancing at the platform he still felt weary but it wasn’t because of Mokuba or the machines. The unease of how perfectly both machines could be used to help both these realities filled him with bitterness. Even if he left right then and there, this dimension’s version of himself would be able to attain whatever it was he wanted. That bitterness didn’t compare to his curiosity over the platform in front of him. He knew what it would’ve been used for. It was a machine to give Yuugi a body, to extract his soul from Atem. The device looped around his ear couldn’t locate any memory of building it however. Why would he want it to be kept from quick recollection? There was more of a chance it could be stolen than someone hacking into the device. He knew. He built it that way. So why?

It made him think of the other memories he himself did not store on it. Memories of Mokuba when they were young that he still recalled to this very day in crystal clarity, memories of the very first duel disk he created left out as well. Sifting through the device, those memories were also gone. Whatever memories were missing were ones that he felt would never be forgotten. Glowering at the equipment, he started to wonder if he was missing some pretty big information. His memories didn’t include a need to build this or even search for Yuugi. Now that he actively accessed the timeline of the memories he realized this dimension’s version of himself only logged in work related memories. 

Mokuba titled his head. “What?”

“I’m going to the lower deck.”

“Why?”

He walked out of the room towards the elevator, searching for differences much more closely than he had before. This space station was built years before his. Meaning, this was a few years into the future. This version of himself didn’t have to deal with Diva, or maybe he did, but the cube was gone; destroyed presumably. Of all the dimensions, he found the very idea of himself helping Atem get Yuugi back as the most outlandish. Yuugi’s existence kept them apart. Why bring him back?

Inside the empty and dark lower deck, he noticed the duel disk and headset device he’d given Yuugi, hoping their duel would draw Atem out, resting up on a hook. It was Atem’s. Wasting no further time he turned away from it. “Recall the Ceremonial Duel.”

“Hello Mr. Kaiba.” The computer said, lights flickering to life all across the room. “For view or interaction?”

He scoffed and shook his head. “View.”

The lights digitized, starting at his feet and spreading out across the floor changing it to match the old and dusty chamber he lost Atem in. He stood beside Mokuba mixed in with everyone else who was there before. Everything was exactly like before and he panicked thinking maybe the computer had accessed his memories instead when the scenario began. The duel was the same, he shifted uncomfortably, watching it and trying to ignore Mokuba’s holographic self flicker as the real one took its place. 

When Yuugi won the duel he reached up to touch the device and cancel it, clearly the computer was linked to him and stored memory on the device. He’d need to fix that. 

“Congratulations, Partner,” Atem said so softly he barely heard him. 

Yuugi didn’t move, like he was stunned, staring at Atem. He hesitated, narrowing his eyes. Yuugi was still standing. Maybe this wasn’t his memory. 

Atem crossed the space between them, stopping just in front of Yuugi. “What’s wrong? This should be a time to celebrate.”

“I have to leave.” Yuugi looked down at his duel disk, tears falling onto it. “I never thought about it. I was so focused on the duel, on doing what I needed to, I never thought this… I never thought this would happen.”

Atem gently laid his hand on Yuugi’s shoulder making him look up. “You’re free, Yuugi. After all this time you’re finally able to rest.” Yuugi shook his head but Atem took a hold of his other shoulder. “We stopped the shadow games together. We saved humanity, we found your name and your past. You’ve earned rest, Partner.”

Yuugi nodded, reaching up and squeezing his wrists. “Thank you Atem.”

Then the memories synced up again. The eye glowed, Yuugi walked to the center and said his name, the door opened. Yuugi walked towards the door, stopped by his friends. Kaiba rolled his eyes listening to their blubbering. Where was this great change that made the machines on the upper level necessary? Where was this big event that changed things for him. He should be elated Yuugi was gone. 

Yuugi walked towards the door then stopped on his own volition this time. He just stood there for the longest time until Atem walked up to him, taking his hand. Yuugi spun around and hugged him. Narrowing his eyes, he saw Yuugi’s lips move but he couldn’t hear what they were saying. “Computer, pause simulation.”

He walked forward through the holograms towards the stage. 

Mokuba hadn’t moved, watching him curiously beside a holographic version of himself. “What?”

“This isn’t how it happened.”

“I was there. Yes it is.”

He started to explain himself then shook his head. There was no point. “Continue simulation.”

Atem sighed, “I don’t want you to leave either, but you have to. You worked so hard for this. This is your family.”

Yuugi held on to Atem, his cheeks shimmering from tears. “You are my family. They are my family. I want to stay with you and Kaiba. Please don’t make me leave you.” 

He was so shocked by that, he almost missed the complete lack of emotions from Atem. He didn’t move, didn’t smile, didn't frown, didn't cry; just loosely held on to him, eyes glazed over. “Goodbye partner.”

Yuugi watched him take another step back like he’d shoved a curved dagger in his chest and twisted it for good measure. Then turned, taking a deep breath and walking through the door, changing into a pharaoh of old and holding his head up. 

The door closed.

The ground shook.

In the blink of an eye it was all gone, buried beneath the desert sands. He followed them back to the boat. Mokuba separated from his holographic self as well. “So, what did you think? Different?”

“In part.”

“In the ‘liking Yuugi’ part?” Mokuba asked, grinning like the little demon he was.

“You’re enjoying this too much.”

“I never thought I’d get the chance to make fun of you for this twice in one lifetime. I can’t help it. Never gets old.”

He scowled, storming past him into the boat. Mokuba waved, then turned around, walking out of the hologram. He expected the ride back to the city and the airport would be just like before, with Atem surrounded by his friends and family reminiscing, talking, crying, hugging… a lot of that, but Atem wasn’t greeted with the same level of understanding.

“Why did you do that?” Tea screamed, still crying. “He wanted to stay!”

Atem didn’t answer her. Instead Ishizu held her hands up to calm her. “It is his destiny, Tea. I understand that you grieve for him, we all do, but the pharaoh has returned to the afterlife where he belongs. It would be unfair to keep him tied to this world.”

“Come on Tea. I get it,” Joey said and shrugged his shoulders. “I’m gonna miss him too, but Atem knows what’s best for him.”

“Yuugi knew what’s best for himself!”

“Joey you can’t be alright with this.” Tristan huffed. “I get you’re sticking up for Atem but-”

“I meant what I said. Yuug’s still with us. Losin’ people ya care about sucks, trust me I know, but ya can’t do nothin’ ‘bout it sometimes.”

“He could’ve,” Tea spat glaring through her tears at Atem. 

“That’s enough.” Kaiba watched himself sweep Atem away, ushering him to the lower deck. 

It left Ishizu and Marik trying to calm Tea down, Soloman spoke to Joey and Tristan. Suddenly their voices lowered to hushed inaudible whispers and the holograms dimmed, trying to take up more then one place at once. The computer was attempting to fill in for voices and places they should be but couldn’t pinpoint them. He left the distorted upper deck and made his way to Atem’s cabin on the lower deck. Walking through the holographic closed door he frowned. Atem wasn’t there. Stepping back out into the hall he glanced down it towards his cabin. He couldn’t be in there could he? He followed the hallway staring at the closed door until he reached it. He couldn’t hear voices through the door, but he went in anyway, quirking a brow and pausing before really entering the room. 

The balcony curtains and glass double doors were open, letting in a warm breeze coming off the Nile. The view was beautiful, just like they advertised it to be though Kaiba never actually saw it before. He kept the curtains closed the entire time, there and back. In a plastic lounge chair, he saw himself laying with Atem resting between his legs and on his chest, both just watching the view. He walked up to the railing, glancing down at himself, unused to the sight or even idea of his arms wrapped around Atem. “What did he say to you?”

“He told me he wanted to stay.”

Kaiba watched himself roll his eyes and huff. “He’s where he needs to be.”

“I know that.”

“Is that why you’re holding up better than the last time?”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes, confused what that was supposed to mean. 

Atem sighed, “You think I’m holding up well?”

“That wasn’t what I said at all.”

“I know.” 

Though he wasn’t sure what they meant by ‘last time’ (he had a pretty good guess that it had something to do with the Orichalcos), Kaiba wouldn’t use the word well to describe him at all. He wouldn’t even use the word alive. He looked like he was standing on the edge of a cliff, a cliff with no bottom waiting for the edge to crack under his weight; knowing it would happen, unable to stop it. Unwilling to stop it, in a way, though it wouldn’t matter even if he tried. Inevitability can be paralyzing and it was, in this moment, paralyzing him. 

“Did you throw the game?”

“Is that a serious question?”

“Yes. If you told him no, after he did what you were hoping he would, I have reason to ask that question.”

Atem sighed, still staring blankly out at the Nile. “No. The eye wouldn’t allow me to do something like that. It wouldn’t accept the duel.”

“… You changed your mind then?”

Atem took a shaky breath the only touch of the grief he had to be feeling. “I can’t live with the idea of being the same prison he was in before. I thought… I just can’t. I’d rather him hate me.”

His eyes… Kaiba felt a twinge in his chest, unsettled by the dullness in his eyes. No guilt, regret, loss, or heartbreak. Nothing. There was nothing there.

Looking away, he tried to understand. 

In many ways, he was standing in a memory of the one thing he’d ached for for years. Though it wasn’t caused by him, the effects still stood. Yuugi’s win against Atem, the one he’d just witnessed, was the defeat he wanted Atem to suffer. It tore right into him, leaving his soul completely crushed. The dullness in his eyes… would never go away completely. He saw it when he stormed into the shop with Yuugi. Even skirting around the hatred when he first spoke to him. How did they get from here to that? Did he care? 

“Stop simulation.” The water paused, the breeze stilled, no more words or sounds, but the dullness remained. “Switch to hard light, remove all persons in frame.”

He leaned on the railing, staring at the frozen water waiting anxiously to lap at the boat. “Resume.”

He missed this view. He was so focused on getting back home to throw himself into his next project, he missed this. Or maybe he was just as dull and lifeless when they left too. The things he sacrificed… this view, his relationship with Mokuba, sleep, money, time, progress within Kaiba Corp. He’d have 50 of these space stations up and running, catering massive Duel Monsters tournaments all around the world if he was focused on that instead of… 

The doorknob clicked and creaked behind him, making him huff through his nose. “Came back to make fun of me again?”

Tea’s laughter made him stiffen and stand up straight. “No. I would never make fun of you… at least not to the level Mokuba is. He’s still going on.”

Of course he was. “I take it Mokuba let you in?”

“Actually no.” He side eyed Yuugi, leaning heavily on the railing and panting, sweat covering Tea’s face and matting her hair. “You wouldn’t let me in so Atem and I scaled Kaiba Corp but you weren’t in your office. By the way, you’ll need to replace your window. There’s a hole cut out of it.”

“You scaled the 38 story building?”

“Sure did!” Yuugi said, grinning and standing up straight. “You wouldn’t let me in. What else was I supposed to do?”

“You could’ve talked to Mokuba. He had no idea you weren’t Tea.”

Yuugi slumped, eyes wide. “I didn’t think about that.”

He rolled his eyes and turned back to the railing leaning on it. “Where did you get the equipment to do that?”

“Turns out Atem’s still talking to Raphael. He loaned it to us.”

“Figures.”

“Well I had to do something… I was really worried.”

“Worried I left you?”

“No.” Yuugi tilted his head, Tea’s hair leaning over the edge of the boat. “Kaiba… do you have any idea how long you’ve been here?”

“4 weeks and 5 days.”

Yuugi gently reached out to his shoulder and made him turn to face him. “Kaiba we’ve been here for 6 months.”

“No we haven’t.”

“Check if you don’t believe me. Ask the computer.”

He narrowed his eyes, sure that was some sort of trick or maybe Yuugi hacked it to make a point. “Computer. How many hours were put into Project DTBA 4.6?”

“Five thousand four hundred and sixty four hours.”

Kaiba was stunned. “That’s impossible, what is the start date of the project?”

“April 16th.”

“Current date?”

“October 24th.”

He didn’t know what to say. That couldn’t be right.

Yuugi hummed then smiled softly. “Is that why you stopped coming to school?”

“No.”

“Well I get not bothering with it, but… Kaiba no one’s seen you much since we defeated diva and before that we didn’t see you since this.” Yuugi looked out at the Nile and took a deep breath. “I’m really sorry.”

“I don’t give a-”

“I was wrong. I should’ve talked to you about it before running into your office and… being a bigger jerk than you are.”

“You need to work on your apology delivery.”

Yuugi laughed and looked up at him. “Says the guy who locked me out of the building so he could leave me here.”

“You want to be here.”

“I’m not Tea.”

“No, but apparently this version of me has a machine built that would take care of that.”

Yuugi didn’t ask, didn’t comment, instead he smiled then looked out at the river again. He waited, narrowing his eyes further then chose to ignore him; watching the view he’d never seen before. The sounds of Cairo wafted through the air. They were getting closer to the city, closer to their stop. 

“I’m sorry I messed everything up. If I could go back in time and fix it I would, but I can’t. We have a dimension traveling device not a time traveling one.” He laughed hoarsely, touching the cube on his chest beneath a black shirt. “And I’m sorry for everything I said. Just because I don’t understand why something is important to you doesn’t mean it’s any less so. I’m just trying to understand. I want to understand.” Yuugi humphed, though still held a smile. “And I still say one of us shouldn’t. I spent the last 6 months trying to think of what I’d be if I was like that. I’m pretty sure I’d make you and Atem look like angels.”

“Heh, I doubt it.”

“Alright. For starters, you’d be dead.”

“Doubtful.”

“I would’ve let Atem attack you and you would’ve fallen off the cliff side at duelist kingdom.”

“I wouldn’t have died.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. If you survived, you would’ve dueled Pegasus, which you lost.”

He grit his teeth.

“I would’ve dueled Pegasus.. I would’ve won and I would’ve kept going. I would’ve used the puzzle to destroy what was left of Pegasus’ mind so I could take over his company and have first pick of any of the most powerful cards there. We were right there. I could’ve done that. If you and Mokuba escaped, I would’ve come after you. I wouldn’t have stopped until I had everything. I’d have Kaiba Corp and Atem would still be with me locked in that cursed thing because I needed him.”

“Atem would’ve fought you on that.”

“Atem would’ve joined me.” He tilted his head still staring out at the river. “I think he would’ve fought me when he got his memories back. Would’ve realized I was using him, but at that point it would be too late.”

“You’re giving yourself too much credit.”

“Am I?” He turned to face him, still holding on hand on the railing. “I was miserable before I met Atem. I had nothing. No friends, no life, no self esteem, no confidence. If I got an inch and I had the drive and willingness to keep going like you both do, I wouldn’t have stopped. All I’d have to do was play by Atem’s rules, and let me tell you, they were pretty lax.”

Kaiba smirked and shook his head. “I remember.”

“See? You know, I probably could still do all of that without him.”

“Oh really?”

“Yep. Just need to bump you off first and everything would fall right into place.”

“You think you could get past Mokuba?”

“Shit… yeah he would be a problem.”

“You think Mokuba would be more of a threat than me?”

“No. I think Mokuba after just losing you would be more of a threat than Zorc.” He giggled and then grimaced. “Especially to the person who did it.”

Over the loudspeaker Mokuba’s voice echoed. “Damn right I would! Better watch it!”

Yuugi giggled, putting both palms flat on the railing and looking down at his hands. “But the thing I want to apologize for most is not realizing that I should’ve tried to be there for you sooner. I just scaled a building to bring you back down from up here and I should’ve done that sooner. I should’ve known, could’ve helped. I never realized you felt like I did.”

“I don’t feel like anything.”

“You love Atem, and he’s always loved you too.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I didn’t talk to Atem much on this boat,” Yuugi said looking around the room and tapping his palm on the railing. “We were getting our decks ready for the duel most of the trip, but when I did talk to him, he told me all about you in the memory world. You being there with him helped him a lot even when he didn’t remember. I think he made up his mind then. He wanted to leave. He believed that was where he belonged.”

“He still believes that.”

“I know. And if that’s what he wants then… I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s worth getting my heart broken again. Every dimension we jump into keeps giving me hope that I could convince him to come back but… I just want him to be happy and like you said, he wants to stay.”

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” 

“I hope you’re right this time.”

“This is not me accepting your apology.” He stepped back from the railing and wrapped his arms around Yuugi’s shoulders. “But we’ve wasted enough time here.” 

The boat glimmered gold and Yuugi gently laid his hands over Kaiba’s arms. “It wasn’t a waste.”

  
  



	17. Dragon Hoard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is a dragon without a hoard?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 16 AUgust Treasure Hunters AU
> 
> *explicit scenes up ahead. Just fyi.

Gold. Gold and pleasure everywhere. 

Kaiba couldn’t get a grip. The gold under his hands continued to shift and swallow them up. At first he thought it was the cube, but the gold had a definite shape. Coins. He was on a bed of gold coins and gems. “Fuck, you look so good like this Set,” Atem husked.

He moaned, his hands sinking further into the coins from a powerful thrust. Fully grounded by the scrape of a gem against the coins, digging into his left knee, he realized the pleasure wasn’t everywhere. Instead it was hyper focused, and as sharp as the gems, coiled deep inside of him. Atem wrapped a hand around his neck, making him look up. Lips pressed against his shoulder blade and he shivered from his shallow breaths.

The cool gold, swallowing up his hands and knees, created a melody of clinks as Atem fucked him. Kaiba’s mind was too hazed to care where or why. He should stop this, but it didn’t matter at this point. Why not? It wasn’t his life, and everything felt too good to form a valid argument against it. 

Atem shifted the hand on his throat to cover his mouth, fucking him so hard into the gold the coins pinched his thigh. His knee and palm throbbed, the sparks of pain fighting for his attention, ultimately drowned out in euphoria. He sank further into it and the smell of sex, earth and metal in the air. He never felt this good, this alive, in all his life. How long were they doing this? How did it start? 

Atem cried out, curling his fingernails into his hip and his jaw, biting down on his shoulder and coming deep in him, filling him with warmth. Kaiba ached for release, his hips twitching when Atem stopped, pressed into him. 

Breathless and weary, he rasped into his tender shoulder, “You must be miserable.” 

He moaned, stifled by the hand over his mouth, and attempted to nod.

“Lay back for me then.” Atem pulled on his hip, rotating him to lay on his back in the gold. “Can’t have your delicious cum wasted.” 

For a moment Kaiba thought he’d lay in the gold with him but he stayed on his knees, separating them. Although he was relieved to have the sharpness gone, he already missed Atem being inside him. The pain was still in his palms and knees, new pain in his back, but he didn’t feel it long. As soon as his hips were flush with the gold, Atem took his throbbing neglected cock into his mouth moaning around it and slipping his fingers into him. Warm wet hot. So hot. Refusing to sink into the gold so he could watch Atem, he flattened his palm on it, letting the gem press into him more. Eyes locked, breath caught in his throat, he watched him hollow his cheeks sucking him off. 

Atem’s fingers, curling inside him, weren’t quite the same sensation as when he was inside him but close enough and definitely more accurate. Too accurate. Way too accurate. He didn’t have a chance of savoring any of it. A quick pass of Atem’s tongue under his cock and he came, ecstasy sparking in every nerve, through every inch of him, curling his toes and fingers. He keened, his heels sliding in the gold, his free hand buried in Atem’s hair. Eyes still locked with him as he shot cum into the back of his throat. 

Kaiba’s head spun, his lungs desperately trying to catch what air they could. All the strength he had to hold himself up vanished and he fell back, his hand sliding through the gold. Atem moaned, letting him slip from his mouth and crawled over him. “Feeling better, dragon?”

He grunted, welcoming the warmth to contrast the cold coins. Atem’s warm hands slid into his hair and he covered his mouth in a passionate wet kiss. He deepened the kiss, sighing through his nose. More of his senses came back, and the cold was the least of his concerns. The sharp sting in his shoulder from landing on a gem or oddly angled coin nagged at him, just like the pain in his hand and knee. “Who’s idea was it to have sex on a pile of coins?” Kaiba huffed laying his wrist over his eyes.

“It’s always you-” Atem gasped, the coins clinking together as he bolted up, and roughly yanked his arm away from his eyes. “Gods what- why didn’t you tell me?! You promised you’d say something after what happened last time!”

Last time? What happened last time? He didn’t want to know. Kaiba tried to sit up, propping himself up with his elbow and looking at his arm in Atem’s hold. A deep blue sapphire was embedded in his palm, blood dripping down his forearm. “That’s worse than I thought it was.”

Atem glared at him, half pouting, “It always is. You have to tell me. I have no idea.”

“How was I supposed to tell you if you have your hand over my mouth?”

He started to argue then flushed looking down at his hand. “Your bleeding everywhere.”

“My leg feels worse.”

“Leg?!”

He laughed weakly watching Atem panic as he inspected his bloody knee. 

“' _Ana asif habiyun_.”

He snickered and turned his hand over to look at it better. “You should be.”

“I didn’t know you were hurt.”

“That makes both of us.” Laying his uninjured arm over his eyes again, he sighed.

The sound of coins shifting closer to him piqued his curiosity and he lifted his arm. Atem crawled over him and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“I don’t think there’s anything you could possibly do that’s better than how we got in this situation in the first place.”

The swell of pride in Atem’s eyes and grin made his heart skip a beat. “You’re going to let me off that easy? I just embedded two large jewels in you that’ll probably take a while to heal.”

“Not to mention my back.” Atem continued to grin and Kaiba reached up brushing his bangs out of his face. “I’ll take a rain check. Still can’t really feel it.”

“Like hell you will. Either I’m off the hook or you’ll have to figure something out now.”

“Right this moment?”

Atem smirked and shook his head, pushing himself up and looking around the pile of coins and gems. “No, but before we leave the City of Laliate. We have work to do. This adventure is over, the treasure is found. It’s time to move on to the next one.” He stood up and slid down the gold and jewels to the ground, dusting off some coins and picking up a stack of clothes. He threw some of them up to him and began to dress himself. “Watch out for your knee. We’ll have to get that looked at as soon as we get back to Domino City.”

He hummed, more or less ignoring him, and tried to get dressed as best he could with blood everywhere. He was starting to really feel it now. “What is this ‘next one’?”

“Have you forgotten already? An Egyptologist in Cairo seems to think he may have discovered who the Lector of the West Papyrus is and where he’s buried.”

“And we care because?”

Atem laughed, buttoning his dark tan pants and snatching a cream colored shirt from the ground. “Because that Lector was the single wealthiest man in all of Egypt's history as well as having the power to bring people back from the dead, part the Nile waters, give life to creatures of wax,” he shrugged on the button up shirt. “Etcetera.”

“So a myth. We’re going after a myth.”

“You just had incredible sex on a myth. I don’t think you should discount it so fast,” Atem said with a smirk and turned his back to him, walking over to a golden sculpture of a woman holding a plate. He picked up a golden jewel encrusted bracelet and slid it on his wrist. “What do you think, Dragon?”

Kaiba’s eyes widened for the first time taking in exactly WHERE he was. He was in an ancient treasury from a lost civilization that vaguely mirrored… Indus culture. The beauty of it untouched and as it was so many years ago was… breathtaking. Looking back down at the pile of gold he sat in, he had a whole new appreciation for the gems stuck in his knee and hand. Although, he was sure they’d be infected if he didn’t get them treated soon. Then it clicked. “Last time…”

“Hmm?”

“What if it actually is just a myth?”

Atem grinned, walking up to the pile of gold and rolling up his sleeves to his elbow. “I’m still not sure how, but you always know if it’s real or not, Dragon.” 

Kaiba quirked a brow waiting for him to explain but it was one of those ‘should already know’ things.

“I didn’t believe it until I saw it. Now I know to trust your instincts.” He gestured and looked up and around the room then took a deep relaxing breath. “Never wrong.”

He finished getting dressed and slid down the pile of gold to the ground, steadying himself and trying not to put pressure on his leg. Atem wrapped his arm around his waist to help steady him and kissed his cheek. “Let’s get that fixed. We have to keep those for our collection. Good memories.”

He smiled and let him lead him out of the treasure chamber. They were treasure hunters. But what did that mean for Yuugi?

—

After a rather interesting trip to the hospital in Kolkata, they were on a plane to Cairo, a small tablet between them. Kaiba couldn’t bring himself to breathe a word, watching Atem talk to Mokuba. They were so comfortable with each other, like Mokuba grew up with him around. When the video call ended Atem laid against his shoulder and fell asleep telling him to let him know when the plane landed. He stayed awake, searching the Internet for Yuugi, but couldn’t find anything of value. Then he researched himself. 

‘Seto ‘Dragon’ Kaiba and his partner Atem Sennen discover lost treasure of ancient queen believed to be a myth’

Dozens of titles just like that popped up and he scrolled through them, treasure after treasure, lost civilizations, ancient queens and kings, cities thought to be fever dreams of old. A few pages in, he found the first article that only sited him. It turned out he met Atem attempting to find the same treasure for two separate entities. He imagined this article was nowhere near the truth of it, but somehow they ended up together, scouring the world for places like the one they just left. 

He kept reading up on this dimension's version of himself, pleased by most of the things he found, amused by the gossip, especially the accusations. They were 100% correct. He grinned flipping through articles until the plane landed. Atem woke from the landing and sleepily smiled. “Are you reading about yourself?”

“Yes.”

Atem laughed, shaking his head. “I love you.”

Kaiba just stared at him, suddenly hot and anxious. Atem didn’t pay any attention to it, getting up from the seat with the rest of the passengers and waiting to get their luggage from above. He stood as well, helping him get it down and followed him off the plane. Cairo airport was exactly as he’d remembered it from business trips and… He squared his jaw following Atem. Just one look at him and that memory disappeared. He looked at the busy airport like it was just a block away from home, grinning ear to ear and making comments about food he needed to get before they left for the tomb. Walking out into the city, Atem took a deep breath and breathed out, “ _ Albayt alsaeid _ .”

“If you want to, we can move here.”

Atem looked back at him, his eyes glowing with warmth and anticipation. “There’s no need to live here, Dragon. We’re never home long anyway. It doesn’t matter where I go, she’ll always call me back.”

They took a cab to the Nile, then a boat to an archaeological institute where they should be meeting the Egyptologist. Should be. 

Atem argued with the stout pompous woman with long red rimmed glasses in Arabic. He caught that she’d never heard of a Dr. Heba Kanaan and he was no Egyptologist. She apparently knew them all personally. He rolled his eyes at that. 

After getting a whole lot of nowhere Atem politely thanked her for her time, muttering under his breath as he walked up to him. “He doesn’t exist.”

“He exists. He just might not be as credible as we thought he was.”

Right on time a blur of glasses and crazy hair raced up to them with at least six books stuffed with loose papers. “I’m sorry I’m… late.”

“Are you Dr. Heba Kanaan?”

Kaiba bit the inside of his cheek at the face Yuugi made before a figurative light bulb went off over his head. “Oh. Oh! Yes. Yes I’m Dr. Heba… Ka.. You can call me Yuugi.” He held his hand out to Atem, attempting not to drop all his books.

Atem laughed, taking it and also taking some of his books to help him out. “That woman says you don’t exist.”

Yuugi looked at the institute, the woman with the red glasses still walking up to the doors and huffed. “Of course she did.”

Atem laughed, looking down at the books. “What is all of this?”

“This-” Yuugi gasped, his face lighting up- “is the translation for the hidden texts within the Westcar Papyrus!”

“Hidden texts?”

“Yes! Isn’t that incredible?!” He shuffled all his books and opened up one, pointing to a mess of symbols. “They thought the Lector was high lector priest Imhotep but this says it’s actually high Lector priest Kagemni, Imhotep’s mentor. They both could use magic but Kagemni is the fabled Lector of the Westcar Papyrus. To honor him they put the secret of his tomb inside the papyrus legend! How cool is that?!”

Atem laughed at Yuugi’s excitement. Kaiba shook his head. If he didn’t know any better he’d swear this wasn’t his dimension's Yuugi. The only signs were his lack of remembering his own name, a pretty big sign, and the bags under his eyes. He was reading up on this all night probably. Atem turned to him and smirked. “Do you want to look through it?”

“I don’t need to. He clearly knows what he’s talking about.”

Yuugi’s excited grin changed and he hugged the books to his chest. Atem quirked a brow then looked at Yuugi. “Where are you staying at?”

He turned and pointed back where he came from. “There’s a small hotel over there. It’s not the nicest but the landlady is sweet. I can show you where I think the tomb is.”

Atem nodded. “That sounds like a wonderful idea.”

It sounded like a horrible idea. He’d already walked too much and hadn’t taken the medication he needed to yet. 

“Great!” Yuugi turned and started walking briskly towards the hotel. 

Atem thankfully realized he wasn’t going to briskly do shit. Snickering he brushed his hand against his. “I’m sorry for dragging you everywhere. I could’ve come here alone and gone back to the hotel for you.”

“It’s fine.” It was not fine.

Atem laced his fingers in his uninjured hand and led him along, slowly following after Yuugi. At least until Yuugi realized they were nowhere near him. He stopped and looked frantically round. When he spotted them he tilted his head. “What’s wrong?”

Atem grinned ear to ear, that same obnoxiously proud look in his eyes. “Our last expedition got a little out of hand.”

Yuugi giggled and started walking again. “So I’ve heard.”

Atem leaned over, trying not to laugh. “I wonder which part he heard?”

He didn’t want to know.

—

Yuugi spent the better part of the night rambling, to the point Atem passed out on the table. Hell, he almost passed out. The only reason he wasn’t asleep was the pain from Yuugi accidentally hitting his knee. Although Yuugi’d stopped rambling when he realized Atem was asleep, he stayed awake, reading over the mess of papers, pushing his glasses up his nose occasionally. They weren’t as ridiculous as they were in the dimension with Anderson, didn’t stick out as much, weren’t as thick, lens and frames. Didn’t scream ‘punch me’ like the other pair did. They were better in every way than the others. 

He didn’t know if he liked them or not.

Yuugi looked up, uneasy like he could tell he was looking at him but didn’t want to make it obvious he knew, he was anyway. “We should probably go now.”

“Probably.”

Yuugi sat up fully, his brows knit together. “I thought you didn’t want to stay in any of the dimensions?”

“I don’t.”

“Well yeah, but… you’re not arguing with me about it.”

“Time is irrelevant. Each dimension dictates its own time frame. I don’t think it will affect our dimension at all. We’ll jump into it when the cube wishes us to, regardless of time lapsed.”

“Yeah that makes sense.”

“There’s no point arguing it then.”

“Maybe, but if it’s a finite number of dimensions before we get home, the faster we get through them the better.”

Kaiba turned his gaze to Atem, sleeping on his folded arms over the table top, his bangs partly in his face and rustling from his soft breaths. “Is it? We have two separate dimensions we want to be in. Mokuba, your idiot friends and your family are in one; he’s in another. This cube will only allow us to travel forward not backward. We’d have to cycle through them again to travel to either one, assuming it’s not randomized.”

“Oh… I didn’t think of that.” Yuugi laid back in his chair, frowning in thought as he watched Atem sleep. “What if we find home first?… We’d have to leave it and-”

“Possibly never come back to either.”

“I think time travel would’ve been simpler,” Yuugi said with a strange smile looking up at him. “You could’ve just built a time machine. It would’ve been easier.”

“I didn’t build the cube, I simply built a machine to guide it.”

“So build another machine to guide it.”

“I’ll get right on that, after I cut that part out of your chest.”

Yuugi laughed, shaking his head. “No you will not.”

He smirked, his eyes drawn to Yuugi’s hands quickly covering up the cube in mock protest. “We have time, is my point, if you want to stay longer.”

“I’d love to stay here and see this through to the end. You both are famous treasure hunters and we’re going to see a supposedly haunted tomb of an Ancient Egyptian magician, and how cool is that?! But…” His fingers absentmindedly traced the edge of the cube under his shirt. “It’s going to be dangerous and… I don’t know anything I should yet. There’s just so much here. I can’t fake knowing anything forever.”

“Agreed.” 

He pushed himself up to his feet, refusing to wince from the pain in his leg. Yuugi watched Atem sleep while Kaiba circled the table and warped an arm around him. The table shimmer gold, making its way around the room when he heard him laugh softly. “He’s going to have a great life here.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Atem says two things in Arabic First one is 'I'm sorry my love' second is 'home sweet home' 
> 
> The treasure as well as the Ancient Egyptian magician are made up but you should totally look up stuff about the Westcar Papyrus. It's pretty damn cool.


	18. Up in Smoke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba can't catch a break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 17 AUgust Firefighter AU

“Fuck. Why’s there so many damn stairs?” Joey muttered taking two steps at a time up the stairwell.

Yuugi was right beside him, heart in his throat unable to even respond. He was terrified, anxious, damn near inconsolable, but keeping it all in to focus on getting to the upper floor. He didn’t care if he had to crawl up the walls he would get up there. Joey jumped up to the top step and charged for the door. Firefighter gear on head to toe. He had it on too. That made his anxiety worse. They were working. Something bad happened. Something… horrible.

The door slid but didn’t fully open. Yuugi charged it too and they got it open enough to get through. “Careful Yuug’. We don’t know how stable it is up ‘ere.”

He nodded, frantically searching the rubble while gingerly making their way through it. 

Why was he so scared? He felt like he had something so terribly valuable in this disaster that used to be an office. Papers blew in the wind, the smell of burned hair and plastic made him cough. He didn’t stop, didn't pause, still looking for something so important. Joey split off from him, ducking down and gasping. “Yuug’! I found ‘im!”

Yuugi spun around watching with bated breath as Joey took a huge step over what used to be a desk and knelt down. “Atem. Can ya hear me?”

“Atem?” He breathed.

Atem groaned and Yuugi saw a bloody hand reach up from the rubble. “Joey?”

“Right on the money.”

“Atem!” Yuugi raced over, still trying to be careful not to knock anything down and knelt on Atem’s other side. “Oh wow…”

Atem’s right arm from fingertips to shoulder was bloody and charred, soot and glass littering his clothes and face. He looked up at him and breathed out partly smiling. “Yuugi.”

“Ha! Ya were expectin’ someone else ta come save your ass?”

“No.” His smile faltered. “Where’s Set? He was right by me and then-”

“Come on Atem. We gotta get ya down stairs. Buildin’s unstable and we gotta take care of that before it gets worse.”

Atem ignored him, looking Yuugi dead in the eye. “Did you find him? Is he alright?”

“I’m still looking, Atem. Don’t worry. I’ll find him.”

“Please be careful, partner… I can’t lose both of you.”

Those words sparked every single frayed nerve he had. “You won’t. I promise.”

Joey scooped Atem up and gently lifted him, minding his arm as much as he could. “Hurry. I dunno how long it’s gonna stay up.”

A radio buzzed and a familiar voice shouted over it. “Did you find anyone, Wheeler? Mutou?”

“Yea we’re bringin’ ‘em down Mai. Just give us a minute. There could be another survivor.”

“You don’t have a minute. Get out of there now! Can’t you hear that?”

All he heard was his heart pounding in his ears and the cracks of fire. Joey pursed his lips then whispered. “Go… Don’t make me regret it.”

“I won’t. Thank you Joey.”

Yuugi left them, briskly maneuvering through the debris towards the center of the floor. The damage, the scorch marks, a bomb went off in here, and the more he thought about it, the more that anxiety and terror creeped up on him. Someone was trying to kill them. “Kaiba!”

A creak, so loud and haunting he stopped dead in his tracks. The building! “Kaiba answer me!”

“I hear you!”

Yuugi frantically scaled the debris towards his voice. “Talk to me. I can’t see you.”

“Talk. Ha… you try… talking with a…-fuck-… steel pipe… through your stomach.”

“What?”

He slid on some drywall and fell, but looking up he saw Kaiba, hunched under a broken wall, a steel pipe through his stomach just like he said, blood dripped from his chin, hauntingly reminding him of him as a zombie. Though it being his blood made it somehow worse. He got to his feet and raced towards him, ducking under the wall. “I know you’re going to hate me but we have to get out of here. The building’s coming down.”

“Course it is,” Kaiba slurred, furrowing his brow and screwing his eyes shut. 

He adjusted his stance so he could help him, well, help would be giving Kaiba too much credit. He’d have to do this on his own and he knew how, also knew it could kill him if he didn’t get him help and fast. They didn’t have time. If he stayed here he’d definitely die. This was his only chance. 

“Okay. Are you ready?”

“No.” Another loud creak and Kaiba’s eyes opened. “Fine.”

He took a breath and slid his hand behind his back, “One.”

“Just do it. I’m not… waiting for-”

He lifted him, bile rising in his throat from Kaiba’s scream of pain into his coat. He had him up on his knees free of the pipe when the creak turned into a bang. They were out of time. He wrapped Kaiba’s arms around his neck and lifted him up onto his back, the building shifting, swaying and getting ready for that final snap when it would fall. He ran, ran as fast as he could the idea of being cautions of the floor left behind him with the bloody pipe. The debris turned to gold but he ran as fast as it moved towards the stairwell. Inside he dropped to the ground, removing Kaiba from his back and ignoring the look of alarm in his eyes. “What are you doing?!”

“Saving us,” he said, grabbing the railing on either side of Kaiba, locking him in and hopefully shielding him. “I promised.”

The building tilted, the stairwell cracked, his stomach twisted and he felt weightless. He braced himself, ready for it to stop, terrified of what that would mean. The gold, it still crawled up the crumbling walls surrounding them, slow, but steady. They hit the ground before it consumed everything. He felt all of it. Felt the debris hitting his back, felt his arm snap from the impact and holding onto the railing, felt the weight on his back. The gold and the darkness, his pain and Kaiba’s shallow breaths were all that remained. 

“If we live through this… remind me… to punch you.”


	19. Repo!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of course Kaiba would pick the craziest dimension to try and figure out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 18 AUgust Bodyguard AU

Yuugi took a deep breath, shocked the pain was gone and bewildered by the constant flashes bombarding him. 

“Mr. Kaiba!” Someone shouted from the crowd.

Flash flash.

“What will Kaiba Corp do if the law passes and Repo Men are decommissioned?”

Flash flash flash.

“… It is not a concern.”

A million more flashes and Yuugi squinted. 

“Questions are over.”

Yuugi turned towards Kaiba, only allowing himself to be shocked by his clothes for a split second. 

“Mr. Kaiba! What do you have to say to the accusations of Kaiba Corporation's Vice President embezzling money to finance his costly procedures?”

Kaiba spun back around, but he didn’t say a thing. The flashes continued, there was a scream then Kaiba walked off the stage, someone dressed in black following after him. He followed as well, thoroughly confused, but felt he shouldn’t be standing on the stage alone like that. A glance back at the crowd and he swallowed thickly. Was this a dystopian dimension again? He sped up to catch up with him, looking down at his own clothes, matching the three other guys walking with their heads up surrounding him. He was a bodyguard. Wow… That’s a new one.

He followed Kaiba and the other guards to a black limo, recognizing Roland almost immediately, dressed like the driver and opening the door for him. Inside was Mokuba and… someone else. Kaiba hesitated but walked up to the door. He stopped and turned back. “Come here.”

“Okay…”

He stepped forward, confused. Kaiba didn’t let on what he was thinking, and Yuugi didn’t react fast enough. He punched him in the shoulder then turned back to the limo, getting into it. “One.”

Roland closed the door leaving Yuugi to rub his shoulder. He’d been hit harder in the past, that’s for sure, but it still surprised him. Was that for scaring him in the last dimension? He sighed. He just had to try. He promised Atem.

The limo’s lights came on and that acted as a cue for the other three guards. He followed them to four parked motorcycles beyond the limo. He giddily grinned at the one that was apparently his. Getting onto it and grabbing his helmet, he giggled. This dimension’s version of himself decaled the top of the tank with holographic magicians. Some things never change. He found them odd though. Each of the magicians used a wand or hat to make themselves or their companions look different. A shift of the light or movement and they’d have fuller lips, sharper chin, make up, different body shapes. Adorable… in a twisted way. Certainly not sending the right message to anyone, but he couldn’t lecture his other dimension’s self… lucky for him.

He put his helmet on and looked at the motorcycle’s controls. Of course this would also have to be completely different than his dimension. He muttered to himself, but finally figured it out, pushing a black button that glowed cerulean. The undercarriage lit up a similar color as the engine purred to life. Taking a deep breath, he followed them away from the curb and onto the street. Yuugi took in as much of this dimension as he could, the black and neon lights, the strange cybergoth style of clothes that everyone wore. He loved it. Looking ahead at the limo he sighed. “That probably means there’s some horrible thing going on.”

They turned, following the limo down another street towards a skyscraper very similar in appearance to Kaiba Corp, same logo, same everything else, but… bigger. A lot bigger and somehow foreboding. “Getting closer to the horrible thing,” he murmured to himself.

They pulled up to the front and the limo stopped. The guys didn’t get off the motorcycles so Yuugi stayed as well, unsure what to do. A door opened and Roland stepped out, casually walking around it. Yuugi thought he heard thunder in the distance as the door opened and Kaiba practically jumped out and stormed towards the doors. 

He should follow him, should do something but Roland didn’t close the door. Mokuba stepped out next, waving and blowing a kiss back to the limo as Roland closed the door. Mokuba was older, probably 20…early 20's and Yuugi stared at him wide eyed, flashing him a grin before following in Kaiba’s footsteps into the building. The roof of the limo opened and two girls wearing the same cyber goth style, hot pink and neon green hair, black latex, and metal studs popped up waving and shouting. “Thank you for the nose baby!”

“Call us Moki!”

What the-

“Mutou… what are you doing?”

“Huh?” He turned to the guy in black on the motorcycle next to him, surprised he recognized his voice. “Tristan?”

“Taylor, and you need to go. He can’t walk in there by himself. That’s what they pay you for.”

“Oh! Oh uh…” He got off the motorcycle hesitantly and started to take the helmet off. 

The guy up front laughed and he recognized him too. Joey. “What’re ya doin’?”

“Uh…”

Tristan and Joey continued to laugh. “Damn and I thought we were gonna feel lost on this job. Look Mutou, just get outta here. Rich boy’ll fire ya if ya take too much longer.”

He nodded, refastening the helmet. “Thank you.”

Joey laughed, shaking his head and revved up the motorcycle. Him and Tristan took off like a shot, the third guy remained, just watching them. He gave up trying to figure that one out. He had a vague idea of what he should be doing now so he ran through the doors hoping he didn’t get lost. 

—

Kaiba dug his nails into his gloved palms. Shouldn’t both those assholes be 6 feet under by now? 

Gozeburo sat at the end of the board room table, Noa to his right, some pompous excuse for a half dressed secretary to his left. Mokuba sat on the dry bar in the corner of the room making himself a dirty martini which added to the surreal situation. He sat as far away from them as possible, the tension in the air so thick and palpable it was difficult to breathe. But out of all the oddities and impossibilities, Yuugi standing just a quarter to Kaiba’s left, was the icing on the cake. 

“Want one Seto?” Mokuba cheerily sang, shaking a half empty bottle of gin.

“Yeah Seto,” Noa mocked with a maniacal grin, “throw away all your credibility.”

“Compared to who? You?” He scoffed and looked up at Mokuba. “I’ll take one.”

Mokuba snickered and hopped off the bar, two martini glasses filled to the brim in hand. “Coming right up!” He walked up to him and held it out grinning ear to ear. “For my favorite brother.”

Only brother. He took it and watched Mokuba sit on the edge of the table staring at the wooden double doors. “When’s this going to start? I have an appointment in a hour.”

“Mr. Legartto will be here shortly,” the secretary announced. “He had some extra paperwork he had to obtain from the imperial congress but he’s in the building.”

“The final nail in the coffin.” Gozoburo stood slowly, raising a navy kerchief to his mouth and coughing. Then he cleared his throat. “If the law passes, we will sell the company, cut our losses and the sum of the sales will be split, equally between the three of you.”

Kaiba barked out a breathy laugh and took a larger drink. That meant the company would be worthless. 

“And if it doesn’t?” Noa asked just as suspiciously as he was.

“If it doesn’t-”

The double doors opened and a tall gangly man walked in dressed in an oversized black suit. The briefcase in his hands, brand new and expensive, the KC logo etched in the leather on the front. “Mr. Kaiba. Forgive me for my tardiness,” he wheezed, slowly striding up to the table.

Mokuba got off and practically ran to the other side, glaring at him martini glass pushed too hard into his lips. 

“The will,” he said, shuffling a packet of papers towards Gozeburo, “is official. The law was dismissed by the imperial congress, save for a few stipulations which are easily overlooked. Business can continue as usual.”

The bastard grinned, skimming through the packet. “Wonderful.”

Noa shifted uneasily in the chair, frowning up at him.“So which of us is heading the company?”

Gozoburo did what he always used to do when he was feeling particularly like a spawn of evil incarnate verses his normal level of demonic existence; he looked down his nose, held his hands just so behind his back and stood up tall with that fucking infuriating sneer. The longer he stood like that without saying a word and making them wait, the further Kaiba’s ire spread into every inch of him. He didn’t have to deal with this anymore. He shouldn’t have to deal with this anymore. He could throw the glass at his face if he wanted to. He had no more control than he did then. Just an illusion of hellish fire and brimstone with little bite and a whole lot of bark.

He thought about throwing the glass in all seriousness, almost did it too. Then he felt a hand on the back of his shoulder, warm and infuriatingly calming. He glanced over to Yuugi as quick as a blink before returning his glower to the glass and taking a sip. That was all he’d get.

“None of you.”

Mokuba laughed and shook his head. “You had me worried for a minute there.”

“The inheritor of Kaiba Corporation will not be any of you spoiled worthless excuses for blood… and it won’t be me.”

Mokuba spat out his drink and slammed the glass down on the table, shattering the stem. “What?!”

Noa reacted as well, standing up so fast the chair he was in flew backwards falling to the ground. “You can’t do that!”

“I can do what I want. This is my company. In three months Kaiba corporation will be signed over to the new inheritor. There’s nothing you can do to stop it.” He shuffled the papers and collected them, walking towards the door, the secretary and the gangly man following close behind him. “Unless of course you find him first,” he said as the doors closed behind them. 

Kaiba scowled at the closed door, trying to understand what that was supposed to mean. Noa ran out after him, shouting about how it’s not fair and who it was. He could care less. Let the whole thing go to hell. It wasn’t his anyway. He pushed his chair back when he noticed Mokuba staring at him. “What?”

“You’re not upset.”

“Why should I be?”

“You know who it is?”

“It could be Mickey Mouse for all I give a damn. He can take his games and shove them. I’m not playing.”

Mokuba grinned. “Who is Mickey Mouse?”

Yuugi cleared his throat awkwardly. “You’re running late-”

Mokuba gasped. “Shit! My appointment!” 

Without another word he bolted out of the room leaving him there. Yuugi groaned loudly, yanked off the black helmet he wore, and gasped like he hadn’t breathed air in the last hour. “You never notice how hot these things are until there’s no breeze.”

“Why were you still wearing it in the first place?”

“I think we’re supposed to.”

“Maybe. No one questioned it like I was.”

Yuugi giggled and nodded smoothing back strings of his sweaty and messy hair. “I was too. So you’re ready to go I take it?”

He looked back at the wooden doors then walked towards them. “Not yet.”

“O-oh… Why stay though?”

“Have you seen Atem?”

“Well no, but we can’t assume he’s in every dimension.”

“He’s in every single one.”

“You don’t know that. We didn’t see him in the… third one… fourth one… Shit. How many have we been to?”

“He’s in every one.”

“He isn’t in ours.”

“He’s here.”

“Okay… but why does that matter?”

“You can’t feel something's wrong?”

“Yeah I can, but… Wait. You can? Wow. Something must REALLY be wrong.”

He glared at him, striding through the halls towards his office, well, the office he had in this dimension that he had a very brief look at before being dragged to that meeting. Once inside he gestured to the door. “Close it and lock it behind you.”

“You know I’m not actually your body guard or your employee at all, right?”

He glared at him and kept walking towards his desk. “No one in their right mind would hire a wimp like you to be a bodyguard.”

“I took a bullet for you, you know.”

“Heh. You took a bullet for Anderson, further proving my point,” he said, pulling his office chair back so he could sit down. “It’ll probably take me a moment to hack into the system.”

“So make myself comfortable?”

“Something like that.”

—

Two glasses of whiskey and ice later, nursing a watered down third one, Yuugi was bored to tears. So bored in fact, he’d taken up paying too much attention to things that weren’t important, like the faint texture in the office’s white walls. Dragons, millions and millions of invisible dragons. There it is, more of Kaiba in different dimensions. He scoured the office for more, finding little pieces and little bits of him everywhere he looked. Unfortunately the office wasn’t big enough or filled enough to occupy his attention long. Next thing he knew, he was looking at Kaiba a little too long and noticing things he didn’t notice before. 

His clothes weren’t his style at all, but the longer he stared at them, the buckles started looking more like something he’d pick out, the highlights of cerulean in strips over his shoulders and just under his belt on his matte black pants. The glowing color on his boots straight up the back and bleeding into the slightly higher heel than he’d seen in most of the shoe’s he’d worn before. He almost spit out his drink when Kaiba got frustrated at the computer at some point and ran a hand through his hair. He had the color in his hair… under it so it was hidden unless it was moved. 

He took a long drink when his fingers twitched wanting to run his fingers through it to see more of it.

The office was scoured, his clothes curiously noted, his hair a distraction at best, all he had to really look at were his eyes and that turned out to be just as dangerous as his hair. Did Kaiba always have long eyelashes like that? If he didn’t know him any better he’d swear he had eyeliner on as well, so faint but still there. Or maybe his eyelashes were just that thick. No. He would’ve noticed before right? He noticed now. 

Unfortunately Kaiba noticed another pair of eyes on him. “Don’t you have something better to do?”

He darted his gaze to the odd textured carpet, shoving the drink in his mouth and clinking it against his teeth. Maybe he should drink some water. The whiskey must be catching up with him, only adding to the heat already in his face. 

He should apologize or at least try to find something else to do. Setting the glass down on the desk he looked up. “I’m going to… what’s wrong?”

Kaiba stared at the screen suddenly white as a sheet. His brows knit together, eyes flicking over whatever information was displayed on it. Whatever it was, it had to be pretty bad. Yuugi stood up and leaned over the desk to look, gasping at what he saw. “Are those-”

“Yes.”

“Kaiba Corporation is an organ donation company?”

“No. Organ replacement.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Kaiba Corporation sells organs on credit because of a plague that caused mass organ failure all across the world. And if they can’t pay for it they have people collect the organs back.”

“Repo men. That’s what they were talking about at the press conference.”

“And at that meeting.”

“Well… It does sound like something he’d do.”

Kaiba flashed him a smirk before clicking through more information. “Yes it does.”

“Now what are you looking at?”

“The company.”

“You were already looking at that.”

“No I’m looking at how they managed to make this possible.” Kaiba muttered a bunch of words that Yuugi had no clue what they meant then he hummed. “Great.”

“What?”

“I made this. Of course I did.” He shook his head and closed all of it out scowling at the keyboard and pulling up another window. 

“What are you doing now?”

“Not looking at that. It’ll just piss me off. This isn’t my life, not my problem. We need to figure out where Atem is.”

He smiled watching him look through all of their records of contracts and employees for him. It was actually pretty romantic that he was taking the time to do that. Atem would love it. If he knew about it. When they made it back, he needed to tell him. 

“He’s not indebted or employed by Kaiba Corp.”

“That’s a good thing.”

“It is.” A few more lists later Kaiba clicked on a name he recognized that wasn’t Atem, but was curious. 

“Serenity?” Yuugi skimmed an article about a world famous singer and actress employed by Kaiba Corporation after a procedure to replace her eyes. They weren’t just a replacement though, they were bionic and she used them in her performances to create all kinds of effects; courtesy of Seto Kaiba of this dimension. “Wow… You made those?”

“Looks like it.”

“And that jerk just cut you out of the Will? That’s frustrating.”

“Frustrating is putting it mildly.”

“What if Atem has a different name like I did in the other dimension? Heba… something.”

“That’s a good point. We should talk to someone who knows him well enough to rat him out.”

“Serenity.”

“What?”

“Serenity. She’d rat him out and I bet she knows. She’s… she’s in this pretty deep.”

“Lets go.” 

Yuugi slid off the desk and grabbed his helmet when the door knob clicked. “Seto!”

Kaiba strode over to the door, concern creasing his forehead. He opened it and Mokuba raced in covering his face and turning his back to Yuugi. He sighed and mumbled. “I know it’s kind of last second and we just got cut out of the will and all but… could I borrow some money?”

“What?”

“I need to have this redone. That quack messed it all up.”

Yuugi tilted his head about to ask what he was talking about when Mokuba lowered his hands. Kaiba practically screamed, “Mokuba what the hell did you do?!” Kaiba’s hands flew on the side of his face tilting his head up. 

“I didn’t do anything.” 

Yuugi walked around his side to see Mokuba better and regretted it instantly. He was going to get sick. Those whiskey’s were a horrible idea. Mokuba’s cheek and nose were split open, his jaw and the rest of the left side of his face were black and blue, taut indentations along the corners of his mouth threatened to come apart too. 

“What. Happened?!”

“I told you, that quack messed it up. What’s so damn hard about reconstructive surgery? He does it for a fucking living! Well not anymore. I’ll be damned if I let him touch a scalpel again.”

“Why?!”

“That’s what I want to know!”

“No,” Kaiba snarled. “Why did you have the surgery to begin with? There was nothing wrong with any of it!”

Mokuba half smiled and laughed. “That’s sweet. I need to remember that. I think that’s a good pick up line.” He laughed again, but Kaiba ignored him tilting his head more so he could get a better look at it. 

“That's not… Did you have plates put in?”

“Oh yeah. I’ve lost count. This was supposed to be simple. Can’t go out looking like I did last month can I? I’d be laughed out of there.”

“Look at yourself! There was nothing wrong to begin with! Why would you do this to yourself?”

“Urgh. You’re starting to sound like Serenity.”

Kaiba stood up straighter and used a tone of voice Yuugi didn’t think he’d ever heard from him before. “And you sound like a spoiled 12 year old who clearly doesn’t know well enough to make decisions involving where you go out, let alone surgeries.”

Yuugi held in his laughter, but just barely.

“I can’t go out like this. I need to borrow some money. Serenity wouldn’t let me.”

“Why would you ask her before me?”

“Oh for… Stop it. I knew you’d be upset.” Mokuba seemed to deflate, standing there while Kaiba relaxed as well. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to do this on my own.”

“I understand that, but this isn’t the way.” 

Kaiba brushed his thumb over his cheek and it moved the skin, separating his cheek more from his face. He gasped and let go of him completely, an apology on his tongue Yuugi imagined, but Mokuba just laughed, reaching up and poking his face. “It’s fine. See? I can’t feel a thing.”

Kaiba looked him over and lowered his hands to his sides, something flashed in his eyes that Yuugi didn’t understand and he sighed, rounding his side walking towards the desk. Yuugi stepped back, watching Kaiba rummage through it then looked at Mokuba a little closer. His pupils were practically non existent giving his eyes an almost haunting doll-like glossy quality. The painkillers. “Oh Mokuba,” Yuugi murmured.

The look of disgust and indignation he received was probably deserved. Mokuba didn’t know him from some idiot on the street in this dimension he supposed but… he was still his friend and it hurt to see him like that. It had to be killing Kaiba. 

Heavy footsteps approached and Yuugi stepped back again. Kaiba grabbed Mokuba’s wrist and forcefully pressed a check into it. “Do you have someone in mind or do I need to find a reputable surgeon too?”

Mokuba looked down, waiting until Kaiba released his hand to look at the amount on the check. “I can go to mine.”

“Good. When you’re done, we’re talking about this and I’ll make damn sure every surgical office in the city will throw you out if you try to set foot in them.”

Mokuba grinned, splitting one of the indentations by his lips, blood oozing out of it. “Thanks big bro. You’re not so bad.” 

Kaiba didn’t say anything watching Mokuba turn and walk out of the office. The door shut, but Kaiba didn’t move. Yuugi fidgeted, deciding to go for it. “Let’s go.” Kaiba took a step to the door and he rushed to stop him, hooking his fingers around his arm. “I mean leave leave.”

“Now you want to leave?”

Yuugi sighed and let him go. 

“What happened to wanting to save the world in every dimension? This one sound too complicated for you?”

He had no idea what to say. Complicated, almost undoubtedly heartbreaking, dangerous with a capital ‘D’, and admittedly intriguing, yes, but that’s not why he wanted to leave. Nor was it that he thought it would all work out like he felt it would when they appeared in the hospital room with Mokuba in a coma. If anything he felt the opposite, probably like Kaiba did. If they left, things would continue on the path they were on, ending in certain disaster. They hadn’t seen Atem yet but if Mokuba and the company were any indicator, he wasn’t much better off… assuming he was alive. 

He really appreciated Kaiba wanting to dive into it anyway, like he’d wanted him to from the beginning, but this wasn’t the dimension to do that in. What if Mokuba got worse? What if they couldn’t help Atem or what if… He was really worried about Kaiba. What was he supposed to say? “Are you sure?”

Kaiba continued to the door, opening it and walking out. Yuugi took a shaky breath, trying to ignore the weightlessness, and rushed after him. 

—

  
  


Kaiba humphed, watching Yuugi brightly knock on a Serenity’s dressing room door. Instead of a star on the door, there was a green eye with a heart where the pupil should be. Odd choice, though it made sense in combination to the posters they’d passed. Finding the concert hall was even easier than he thought it would be. Roland knew where it was and just a glance his direction sent people scrambling to direct him where he wanted to go. If he didn’t know any better, they seemed genuinely afraid of him, refusing to look anywhere near him and suddenly disappearing. It made him wonder what kind of person he was here and a little apprehensive of the idea that maybe… he was worse than him. 

“Just a minute!”

Yuugi took a step back and flashed him a smile. “She sounds the same.”

“Don’t count on it.”

“Yeah you’re probably right. Mokuba seemed the same too.”

Yes he did, older and a disaster like he’d expect with that monster still breathing the same air as them, but he was still himself. This dimension took his little brother and warped his view of the world and his place in it; took someone brilliant and resourceful, and clipped his wings. There had to be a reason, good or bad, as to why. And he was going to figure it out. 

The door opened slowly, letting out a dim green light. “Come in, Seto.”

They exchanged a questioning glance before Kaiba took the lead, pushing the door the rest of the way open and holding it for Yuugi. Inside he furrowed his brow. The only light came from a five-way mirror in the corner of the room. Serenity wasn’t in it.

“I take it you’re here about Moki?”

Kaiba slowly turned to his left, surprised by what he saw. Yuugi more so; he gasped and jumped back, grabbing onto his coat. Serenity looked next to nothing like he remembered her; blood red hair frayed at her shoulders, unnaturally long and thick eyelashes that almost matched the texture of the feathers on the bodice of her gown. Those unnatural lashes highlighted her green, matted, and glowing eyes. Despite her youthful features, indicating she was probably the same age as Mokuba was in this dimension, her gaze felt so much older; older than time itself. What had she seen? 

Serenity hummed, smirking, and stepped out of the dark into the green light, giving her it’s pale color and accenting her black lips. “I like your new bodyguard. Brother told me about him.”

Yuugi stepped away from him and fiddled with his helmet. 

Kaiba ignored him, turning his attention back to Serenity. “Thank you for refusing to give Mokuba money. I’m talking with him tonight about the surgery.”

She blinked slowly, purposefully, tilting her head a little too far, unnaturally like the rest of her. “Oh.”

“Oh?”

“I didn’t expect you to say that. They were your idea to begin with. What better way to display the marvels of Kaiba Corporation than on their own?” She took a threatening step towards him; he stepped back. “Do you remember what Mokuba looked like when this all started Seto? I do.”

She sighed, the frustration melting out of her face, her eyes downcast and haunted. “I remember. I can’t forget.” 

Walking up to the green mirror she stood in it’s light creating a black silhouette with green glowing around her. Turning her head, her eyes glowed again, sifting from green to cerulean, a projection appearing before them of a boy maybe 16 laughing. He had no idea who he was, but he assumed that was supposed to be Mokuba. 

Yuugi murmured something that he didn’t catch. 

“He’ll never be what he was before… and neither will I.”

“Serenity,” Yuugi piped up and walked up to her, breaking the projection up until she blinked slowly, her eyes going back to the green glow. “We need to find Atem. Have you seen him?”

“Atem?”

“Yes uh… He looks a little like me, just more… more everything I guess.”

She tilted her head again and placed her hand over her chest. “I haven’t heard that name in…”

“But you know where he is?”

Serenity shook her head slowly and looked into the mirror. “He’s dead. He had a rare condition, one that even Kaiba Corporation couldn’t cure. I should see Ishizu. She’s probably so lonely since-” she sighed and looked back at him with a smile. “Were you a friend of his too? We used to go school together. Well my brother had classes with him but I used to tag along outside of school.”

“Who’s Ishizu to Atem?” Kaiba asked, though he probably should’ve let Yuugi.

Serenity looked him up and down her eyes flashing blue then turned to Yuugi doing the same. “Are you both ill?”

Yuugi laughed and shook his head. “We’re fine, just… I was hoping you knew where he was… I guess you did but-”

A sharp knock at the door drowned out Yuugi’s words. “Show’s on in 5. Are you ready, Miss Serenity.”

“Yes.” She put a hand over Yuugi’s and smiled. “I’m sorry.”

Kaiba watched her stride out of the room, leaving the door open for them. Yuugi followed after her. 

He glanced back at the five way mirror, looking at the reflection of someone he didn’t want to recognize, then walked out as well, shutting the door behind him. 

—

“I think this is a bad idea.”

“We have to be sure.”

Yuugi sighed and took his helmet off. “Lead the way boss.”

Kaiba snickered, walking ahead of him through the gates of the massive labyrinth of stone archways that was supposedly a graveyard. How they were supposed to find anything in here was anyone’s guess. Despite that, Kaiba walked through like he knew where he was going. The further in, the more movement out of the corners of his eyes Yuugi saw. It put him on edge, not because they could be phantoms in the night, but because this particular graveyard mixed into the middle of the city probably had some overly shady characters he didn’t want to run into. Not that anywhere else was better, but at least they were in broad daylight where he could clearly see them. 

They walked through a stone archway when Kaiba suddenly stopped. Yuugi ran into him and laughed, walking around his side, until he saw what stopped him. Atem knelt down on the ground with a glass jar in his hands staring at them wide eyed. Yuugi beamed and took a step towards him. “You’re alright!”

Atem ran, ran so fast Yuugi didn’t comprehend where he went in the maze of graves and stone archways. “Where’d he-”

Kaiba took off after him. 

“…Great.” 

He did his best to keep up with Kaiba, weaving through archways and jumping over headstones. He wondered why Kaiba hadn’t said anything to him to get him to slow down. Atem clearly knew this place better than both of them. Taking a chance, he went a different way than Kaiba, hoping to cut Atem off. They all ended up in an open part of the graveyard, Atem in the middle clutching the jar to his chest, Kaiba standing in the archway opposite him. Yuugi panted, happy that he was alive in this dimension. “It’s okay Atem. You don’t need to run. We’re not going to hurt you.”

“I shouldn’t be out here.”

“Brilliant observation,” Kaiba scoffed behind him, making Atem flinch.

“We were worried about you. We thought you might be dead.”

Atem made a strange face, but the movement in the jar drew Yuugi’s eyes to it. He had a firefly in it. Why on earth would he be in a graveyard getting a firefly?! “Who are you?” Atem asked, glancing back at Kaiba then him, “How do you know my name?”

Shit… he didn’t think of that.

“You don’t know who we are?” Kaiba walked into the open area, pausing when Atem scrambled back, eyes trained on him.

“I’ve never seen either of you in my life.”

“Why would he know who are?”

“He should know who I am.”

Yuugi blinked. He was right he should. 

“Unless you’ve been living under a rock.”

Atem blushed, glaring at him. “I don’t live under a rock. I can’t go out because of-” He clamped his mouth shut and backed up again. “I should’ve stayed home.”

“And home is where?” 

Atem started to answer then his bracelet lit up and beeped. Muttering to himself he checked his pockets, while it beeped again and again, increasing in frequency until Atem froze up. Yuugi walked towards him slowly, making sure he saw him. “What’s wrong?”

“I must’ve forgotten it.”

“What?”

The beeping was so frequent it sounded like a loud buzz and the bracelet turned red. “We can take you home. You just have to point us in the right direction.” He took another step closer, not within reach. “It’s okay we can help.”

He reached out to him, barely brushing his fingers over his arm when three loud bangs rang through the air followed by searing pain in his arm. He jerked back staring down at blood dripping from his forearm onto the black soil and withered grass. Someone shot him. 

Atem dropped the jar, staggering back and sinking to his knees. Yuugi gasped and tried to help him, terrified he was shot as well when Kaiba grabbed him. “We need to leave.”

“But Atem-”

“Move!”

Yuugi glanced at a shadowed figure rushing towards them before Kaiba pulled him through the archway. More gunshots, and some shouting, but Yuugi didn’t get a chance to look back and see who it was. Kaiba looped his arm around his waist and pulled him sharply to the left between two stone pillars. The rough stone scrapped his jaw and he laid his palm against it to push himself up. Unfortunately there wasn’t enough space for him to move much and he pushed himself back into Kaiba’s chest. Gold covered the pillars and the shadowed figure running past them. At least they weren’t seen. 

“I’m so sorry.”

“Shh.”

Yuugi quirked a brow, surprised to hear Marik’s voice. “That was close.”

“It was indeed. Come on, brother. Let’s get him home.”

  
  



	20. Astraphobia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuugi was never afraid of thunderstorms before, but this dimension believes otherwise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 19 AUgust 19 Century AU (boarding school au)

Kaiba woke up to a flash followed by a crackle and boom so loud the metal bed frame shook. It wasn’t that surprising or abnormal. Outside the large window near the foot of his bed, the branch of a tree scrapped against it, flailing in the wind. Nothing odd about that either. He sighed, soothed by the sound of rain pelting against the wall and window, and closed his eyes, deciding to go back to sleep. When was the last time he slept? Nights like this were perfect for it. He’d figure out where he was in the morning.

Lightning flashed again, thunder sent tremors through the room, but this time he heard a small gasp and creaking metal from old springs that definitely wasn’t his bed. He frowned and rolled over, staring wide eyed at a room of occupied beds, two rows of them against each wall with a large wooden trunk at the foot of each. He heard soft snoring, whispers, and whimpers as the storm continued. Sitting up in the bed, he looked down at himself. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“Kaiba?”

Clear on the other end of the room Yuugi sat up in a bed, throwing the sheets off and getting to his feet. He was a little older than they were in the lake, but not by much, maybe 10. Walking up the aisle toward him, the thunder boomed again and Yuugi jumped practically a foot in the air. “You’re afraid of thunder?” he snickered and shook his head.

Yuugi pouted, moving a lot faster down the aisle and staring at the large window between the rows of beds. “Not normally.”

“Sure.” He rolled his eyes. 

“Shhh… if someone hears you we’ll all be in trouble.” 

Kaiba glared at some kid across the room closer to where Yuugi started. He had half a mind to tell him to go to hell but Yuugi stepped into his line of sight and snickered. “Don’t.”

“What do you want?”

“Well…”

Another flash of lighting, several beds creaked from kids jumping under their sheets, others pulling them over their heads. He was so focused on the room as a whole he had no idea where the hell the blur came from that slammed into his back. “Ow.”

“Sorry.”

Yuugi smiled at whoever it was taking up the space between his pillow and him. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

The kid in the bed beside his rolled over and groaned, “Go ta sleep.”

Of course it was Wheeler. “That’s pretty difficult when you sound like a train.”

He laughed and rubbed his eyes. “There’s a storm. How’re ya hearin’ anythin’?”

More lighting, more thunder, more creaks. The kid behind him pressed more into his back. He was about to tell him to get lost when Wheeler snickered, “Not so much of a tough guy now, huh?”

The kid shifted behind him. Whatever he did in retaliation to that made Yuugi laugh. “Leave him alone Joey.”

He humphed and rolled over.

Another round of thunder and he didn’t just have the kid pressed into his back, Yuugi jumped and scrambled back onto the bed between his knees, staring at the window. This was getting ridiculous. “You have a bed. Both of you. Get off!”

A long bout of thunder, several flashes and a long scrape of the tree branch against the window, another blur came out of nowhere wrapping small arms around Yuugi and kneeing him in the shin. “Ow!”

“Sorry.” Ryou poked his head up over Yuugi’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

He was better before. 

Joey rolled over at some point, probably during the lighting and pushed himself back up on his elbow. He clicked his tongue against his teeth and smirked. “Are ya really gonna let ‘em stay there?”

“No,” he snarled then glared at Yuugi. “Everyone off! Now!”

Ryou and the kid behind him didn’t move, but Yuugi sighed, “okay.” He turned to Ryou and smiled. “You can sleep with me if you want Ryou.”

Kaiba noticed Joey make a face out of he corner of his eye and lay back down and for some stupid reason he agreed. He couldn’t think of a good reason to stop that from happening, didn’t consider it when he told them to get off the bed. He shouldn’t care, but he did. 

“Where uh... Nevermind.” The kid behind him moved and got up to walk back to his bed. 

Kaiba kicked himself for that too. It was Atem. He had no idea. 

Yuugi grabbed his hand and beamed at him. “Ryou and I are small. You’ll fit.”

“I’m alright.”

No he wasn’t. And the following crack of thunder proved that, even though he was trying really hard to hide it. Yuugi gently squeezed his wrist. “It’s okay. Really.”

“No it’s not. I can’t make it back and I’ve already gotten in trouble once.”

Joey snorted. “Ha! Yeah. What’d he say? Next time he catches ya doin’ anytin’ he’s gonna skin ya alive er somethin’ like that.”

“Something like that.”

Kaiba’s mind was a mess. What could he do? He couldn’t take it back. 

“Ya can stay ‘ere Ry.”

Ryou shrunk into himself, incredibly conflicted.

“Go ahead, Ryou,” Yuugi said smiling. “You’ll have more room.”

“That’s debatable,” Kaiba scoffed, unable to stop himself despite that being exactly what he wanted to happen. 

He kicked himself for that too, but Ryou wasn’t paying any attention to him. “Are you sure?” 

Joey had already moved over when Yuugi nodded. “Sure I’m sure.”

“Okay,” Ryou murmured and hesitantly got up, padding over to Joey’s bed and got into it.

Yuugi yanked on Atem’s hand and he fell back into the bed, shoving his shoulder into him. “You can deal with one of us right?”

Kaiba glared at him. He felt like he dodged a bullet, didn’t understand why, just like he didn’t understand what Yuugi was up to. “Fine.”

He nodded and smiled at Atem then got up. Atem leaned forward starting to reach for him yet didn’t quite make it. “But aren’t you scared?”

“Yeah, but I’m right by the door. I don’t want to get in trouble either.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes briefly. Did he just lie? Damn he was bad at it.

“That’s true…”

Atem was buying it?!

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight Atem.”

Kaiba kept his eyes trained on Yuugi walking back to his bed on the other side of the room. The thunder rumbled and Yuugi flinched, pausing mid step then continuing on again. He made it to his bed and laid down. Nope… that’s not better either.

“I can sleep in my own bed,” Atem murmured, fiddling with his hair. “I just don’t like storms.”

“Go to sleep.”

Atem muttered something and laid down. He threw one last glance towards Yuugi’s bed then did the same. He stared up at the shadowed ceiling for two blinks then closed his eyes and let out a long breath. The rain still pelted the window and the wall, his bed was even warmer with Atem lying quietly beside him, and his exhaustion set in keeping his heavy eyelids closed. He couldn’t have created a better scenario to sleep if he wanted to. 

He laid there, mind completely devoid of thought for a long time, or what felt like a long time. So long the storm dulled and the thunder and lighting separated. Atem hadn’t moved and neither did he. He should be sleeping. Instead he opened his eyes and glanced at the shadowed branch swaying in the wind, highlighted by the storm in short but bright flashes. It seemed another stronger storm was coming in; more thunder slowly approaching the flashes of lightning. This whole thing was going to start back up again; the beds creaking, the gasps and more random blurs hitting him in the back. 

He waited for it, staring up at the shadowed ceiling watching the small jumps from Ryou in Joey’s bed out of the corner of his eye. A loud crack of thunder shook the metal bedframe and Atem moved closer to him. 

No blurs, no movement out of beds whatsoever. He glared at the other side of the room. He was going to make him go get him, wasn’t he? 

“Do you think he’s okay?”

Kaiba muttered under his breath, throwing the blanket off and getting out of the bed. He just wanted to sleep! Why did he have to do this? Yuugi shouldn’t be afraid of the fucking storm anyway! They weren’t kids like this whole room was filled with. It wasn’t like he was alone! Though Yuugi was usually alone. Especially in situations like this. The more people in the room, the closer to the edge he was, ironically like right now. He stopped at the foot of Yuugi’s bed, shooting a glare at the kid in the bed next to him laughing at him. He stopped and rolled over. Wise decision. He wasn’t in the mood. 

“Mutou,” he hissed and hit his foot as hard as he could.

Yuugi jumped up and threw his pillow on the floor, gasping. Kaiba didn’t entertain it and started to walk back to his bed. 

“Kaiba?”

He’d already wasted time he could be sleeping. He should keep a tab on all the things Yuugi owed him at this point. He’d milked the wing incident long enough. He should’ve left him there. It’d serve him right. He stormed up the aisle fuming until lightning split across the sky in perfect alignment with the window highlighting the branch as it scraped against the window again. They had a tree like that outside a window just like that in Mokuba’s room when they first moved into the Kaiba mansion. Mokuba used to be terrified when it would storm or was too windy outside. Kaiba would be half asleep and have the wind knocked out of him from a rogue ball of black fluff. Looking at it now, he could see why he was scared. That wasn’t something a child with an overactive imagination would want to see. 

Another crack of thunder rumbled through the floor and he felt something grab his nightshirt, running into his back. “Sorry… I really don’t know what’s come over me. I’ve never been this scared of storms.”

Kaiba humped and started walking to his bed again, Yuugi clinging to his shirt. By the time he made it to the foot of the bed, another crack of lightning and thunder sent Yuugi scrambling for the bed. He rolled his eyes. “Move.”

Atem wrapped his arms around him and pulled him closer to the other side of the bed. “Is that better?”

No. His bed at home would be better. His California king sized bed that could actually fit three people on it and still not have to worry about falling off the edge would be better, but he’d just have to deal. He got into the bed and pulled the covers up over them huffing when Yuugi kneed him in the leg. “Sorry!”

“Are you always this accident prone?”

“Yeah,” he whispered, pulling the covers up to his nose, “thank you Kaiba.”

“Go to sleep.”

Atem snickered behind Yuugi, but he didn’t hear a word out of them after that. He listened to the rain, warm and surprisingly comfortable despite being way too close to the edge of the bed. He didn’t even notice it. Whatever was nagging at him before was gone. He fell asleep watching the lighting flash across their faces and having the final thought of why they didn’t flinch that time. 

  
  



	21. Emotions Are Hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaiba wakes up to four little monsters with blue eyes calling him dad. Yuugi has to get through the lowest point in his marriage... or his other self's marriage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 20 AUgust Single Parents AU

It took a little longer to get his bearings than Yuugi would’ve liked. The last thing he remembered was falling asleep, next thing he knew, he was staring down at a bundle of papers in his hands hearing someone sniffle. Looking up, he blinked. Atem had his head in his hands on the other side of a kitchen table. He frowned, examining him; thick black watch on his wrist, golden bracelets on the other, a button up shirt rolled up to his elbows and wrinkled. He looked like he slept in it. He thought maybe he imagined the sound of someone sniffling, probably from his dream or the room of kids during the thunderstorm, but Atem’s shoulders shook and a soft strangled sob escaped his lips. Did someone die?! His whole body hurt trying to keep himself from launching across the table to hug him and ask what was wrong. Frantically he looked down at the papers in his hands hoping they had some indicator of what happened. 

Divorce papers?! Had he lost his mind?! 

Flipping through the papers he read over what his other self had written, finding it at least somewhat hopeful that he hadn’t marked the questions about whether the marriage was salvageable or not. He had to think of something, had to think of it fast. Atem’s sobs, despite them being so slight and quiet, were killing him. He couldn’t just ask him out right. How was he supposed to do this? He really wished Kaiba was there. It’d be easier to swing the ‘we’re from an alternate dimension’ angle if he was. 

He could do this. On his own. He just needed to know how they got to this point… 

“Atem,” he said softly, but didn’t get a response. Which was fair. He probably wouldn’t respond either. “Do you want this?”

“What?” Atem lifted his head just enough for him to see his red puffy eyes. 

He lifted the papers and reached for his own cheek, unsurprised to feel them wet as well. “Is this something you want?”

Atem lifted his head fully looking at him exactly how he’d look at himself if he was on the other end of the table. “No!”

“Okay. Then talk to me.”

“I can’t say anything I haven’t said already.”

Probably not, but it’ll be the first time he heard it. “Just… say it all again.”

“Why? You’re not going to change your mind.”

“You’d be surprised.”

Atem shook his head and resumed burying his hands in his hair leaning forward on the table. He looked so tired and beat down. Did he look like that too? Probably. Yuugi pushed back on the chair and stood up, searching the small kitchen for a coffee pot. He needed it… with whiskey preferably but beggars can’t be choosers. Moving around the kitchen he grabbed two coffee mugs and set them on the counter before going about brewing a whole pot of strong coffee. Atem still hadn’t said anything, but they had time. At least until Kaiba burst through the door and drug him out. He had all the time Atem could possibly need. 

“I didn’t cheat on you.”

Of course he wouldn’t. Yuugi decided, leaning against the counter, that he didn’t like this dimension’s self. Now he owed Kaiba an apology. “I believe you.”

“I’m just helping him. He doesn’t have anyone else. I know I’ve been gone a lot… and I’ve been lying to you I just… I don’t want to lose you.”

Lying noted.

The coffee pot bubbled and fizzed to life, filling the kitchen with the delicious smell. He wanted nothing more than to say with all the strength and certainly, he’d never lose him, and in many ways he never would, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak. Was it always going to be like this? The papers kept drawing his eye. He hated them being there. He didn’t know what it was like to lose Atem. Yuugi did. It might be the right decision for them, but not while he was around. 

“I love you. I married you. I don’t know what to do to make you see I want to be with you.”

“I love you too.” Yuugi pushed off the counter and grabbed the papers, tearing them up as he walked around Atem to the trash can.

“What are you doing?” 

Glancing at the half brewed coffee pot, he sat down in the chair beside Atem and pulled on his wrists, making him face him. He smiled and reached up wiping the tears from his cheeks. “Please don’t cry anymore. I can’t stand it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cry before.”

He really hadn’t. Couldn’t think of a single time. Even though Tea and Joey swore up and down he did before, he’d never actually seen it. Now he was happy he hadn’t. It was tearing him up. Atem covered his hands and sighed. “I’m so sorry.”

“Why are you lying to me?”

Atem clenched his jaw. “You were right. Seto still has feelings for me. I was afraid if you knew, and knew I was over there, you’d get the wrong idea… happened anyway.”

There it was. That made a lot more sense. Apparently this dimension’s version of him didn’t have the same eye opening conversation he had in some of the other dimensions. Didn’t see the silver and gold written across his arms and didn’t see how Atem couldn’t be in a safer place. 

“I swear I’m just helping him. Kisara left him with a lot to deal with.” _Kisara what?_ “Why are you looking at me like that’s the first time you’ve heard that?”

“How are you getting that from how I’m looking at you?”

“We’ve been together a long time. I know what you look like when you first hear something shocking.”

He blushed and lifted his shoulders. “I really need that coffee.”

Atem turned kissing his palm, then got up to walk to the coffee pot. He welcomed the time to think. The papers made sense now. There was more, he could feel it in Atem’s careful words. His other self probably heard it too, probably knew what it was, just like he did. There was an underlying whisper and tone in his voice screaming there’s so much more. “Is there anything else? Did we have any problems before you started talking to Kai- Seto again?”

“No. Everything was as close to perfect as it could’ve been.”

Good. He could work with this. “So… how do you feel about Seto?”

Atem didn’t turn or respond immediately, pouring them both cups of steaming coffee. “I married you.”

“That’s not answering my question.”

He brought the cups over and set them down on the table before sitting down himself. “I don’t know.”

“Yes you do,” Yuugi murmured and leaned towards the table to make Atem look at him. “We can’t work on anything if you don’t talk to me, honestly talk to me. No more lies or hiding things.”

Atem looked away from him and grabbed the coffee mug. Yuugi hesitantly grabbed his too, watching Atem a lot closer than he was before. Just in case his hunch was wrong. “I told you we dated before and that I broke up with him. I guess I… didn’t say that the reason why was Kisara. I didn’t want to split up his family. I know what that’s like. I couldn’t do it. Leaving him was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I had to.”

“Closer,” Yuugi whispered, trying to put things together, “still not answering my question.”

“I don’t know, Yuugi.”

“Why don’t you know?”

“Why do you sound like you do?”

“Because you’re doing everything you can to avoid answering me.”

Atem didn’t say anything holding onto the handle of his mug too tight and clenching his jaw. 

“Why are you afraid of answering that? I already ripped up the papers.”

“You can always get more.”

“I could but I’m not going to, not unless you don’t want to be with me anymore. We’re in this together… Talk to me. You should never be afraid of talking to me.” He blew out his cheeks and squeezed his arm. “I know I don’t take everything that great but I’m… trying to be better with that.”

Atem slowly looked up and met his eyes. He didn’t say anything but Yuugi felt like he’d somehow said the right thing. All the tension drained from his shoulders and his hand relaxed against the coffee mug. He took a deep breath and sighed, “I don’t deserve you.”

He smiled and waited for him to answer him, wondering if he actually would. Wondering what to do depending on how he answered. Atem looked back down at the coffee mug and tapped his thumb against it. “I still love him. I thought I’d gotten over it but the more I’m over there the more it keeps… it’s hard being around him. He needs my help. I can’t leave him to deal with everything alone.”

“Thank you for telling me.”

Atem looked at him and quirked a brow. “You’re thanking me?”

“I know it sounds weird but you haven’t said anything I don’t already know.” He smiled and picked up his coffee mug. “It’s about time you admitted it.”

Atem watched him take a sip. “The only reason you didn’t do this sooner was because I didn’t say that. I don’t understand why you’re taking this so well now.”

Yuugi set the cup down and pushed his chair back, going to the trash can to grab the ripped up paper chunk that had the unmarked questions. After sifting through the shreds he found it and brought it over to the table, setting it down between them. “I didn’t know what to do before but I have a good idea what to do now.”

“And that is?”

“You still love him for a reason Atem. Trying to ignore it will just make you and him miserable which makes me miserable.”

“So you do want a divorce.”

“No.”

“I don’t understand.”

He looked down at his arms, his hoodie sleeves rolled up a little from the table showing the silver watch on his left wrist and gold bracelet on his right. He could see it, closing his eyes and cradling the warm cup in his hands; the beautiful tattoos written across his forearms shimmering in silver and gold. And he could hear Kaiba’s remarks about it when he showed him. “There is no ‘everyone gets one’ rule. Not everyone has a soulmate.”

“Now I know something’s wrong. You believe in that.”

“I did. I believed I’d find my soulmate out there and we’d be together forever. Nothing would really separate us. Not even death.” He opened his eyes and faced him. “Even after everything I still believe you’re mine.”

“And I know you’re mine.”

“I think some people are extra lucky though. They have none, or they have more and I believe in it enough to know this-” he tapped the paper- “isn’t going to solve anything. It’ll just hurt both of us.”

Atem stared down at the ripped up piece of paper, brows furrowed in thought.

“I love every part of you. Even the parts I don’t understand yet. They’re what make you you. If things were different, you’d be with him right now, not me.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“I do. You’d be having this conversation with him when you met me.” He giggled and mockingly grimaced. “Which would really suck. You’re lucky you have to deal with me instead.”

“You’re probably right about that.” Atem smiled warmly and moved forward, kissing him slow and sweet, wrapping an arm around him to pull him closer. “I shouldn’t be the one questioning you or complaining but-”

“No, you shouldn’t be.” Yuugi glanced at the mugs then sighed. “I know we just made coffee but you look like you need to sleep for a year. Come on. Let’s go to bed.”

“I need to-”

“Sleep.” He kissed him, pulling on him to get up as he stood. “Come to bed with me.”

He smiled and stood not fighting him at all. Luckily for him, Atem led him through the house. It was just as bad as Yuugi feared it would be. The sofa was made up like a bed, hardly touched. The bedroom was worse. His other self apparently camped out in there and left dishes, papers and everything else everywhere. It was a disaster. Atem stopped in the doorway looking at it mournfully. 

Yuugi squeezed his hand. “I’ll clean it up.”

“No. It’s not that I… I’m sorry.”

“Things will get better. I promise.”

He walked into the room and sat on the edge of the bed, untying his boots. Atem slowly shut the door and reached into his pocket for his phone. 

“What are you doing?”

“Telling Seto I won’t be over today.”

“Don’t do that. Just tell him you’ll be late and I’m coming with you.”

“That’s a bad idea.”

“Too late. It’s decided,” Yuugi sang, kicking his boots off and laying back on the bed, rubbing his eyes. “Hurry up I’m cold.”

Atem snickered and shuffled towards the bed. The soft knock of his phone setting on the nightstand echoing in the room. He felt the bed shift and warmth from Atem climbing onto the bed half laying on him and tangling around him. This wasn’t the right way to lay in the bed, but he could sleep like this. Just being near him. 

—

“Dad dad dad dad dad dad dad!”

Kaiba opened his eyes frowning at the loud crash followed by what sounded like a herd of cattle on the other side of the bedroom door. He groaned and closed his eyes. Was this one of those shitty apartments that you could hear your neighbors breathing through the walls? The door swung open so hard it bounced off the wall protector, starling him. He glared at the empty doorway, wondering what was going on. He didn’t even see anyone or anything enter the room. Instead the bed shifted and something fell on his back. “Wake up!”

Another small face opened up right in front of him over the side of the bed giggling. “Dad! Up up up up up up up-” She was still going. 

“We’re hungry.” The one on his back whined.

Another voice beside the one not even an inch from his face added to the whining, “Juice!”

The crackle of a radio followed by yet enough small but terribly loud voice, “Dadadadada.”

“Get off.” He grumbled and pushed himself up, groaning at his clothes. He fell asleep fully dressed? Sitting on the bed he got a good look at three pairs of blue eyes. Three little girls all giggling and laughing, chanting about cereal or something as they bolted out of the room. More cattle down the hallway. 

He ran a hand through his hair, cringing when his fingers got stuck in who knew what. “This is hell.”

The radio, a small white device on the nightstand crackled then a shrill screech ran over it, making him cover his ears. 

“Dadadadaaaaaaaaaaa!”

He looked at the bed, empty. He didn’t know whether to be elated or furious. Getting out of bed, hands still on his ears he used his foot to pull the cord to the torture device out of the wall. Lowering his hands, he still heard the shrill unholy yet somehow happy screaming, in the room next door. What was the point? 

A loud crash and what sounded like shattered glass rang out from down the hall. “Oops!”

“I’m going to kill him.”

—

Yuugi held tight to Atem’s hand on the doorstep of a very nice house but definitely not Kaiba’s style. He had to be dying to leave. Too bad. Yuugi wasn’t leaving until he was sure Atem and him were going to be okay. This was important. 

Atem took a deep breath and hesitantly reached into his pocket for his keys. Yuugi quirked a brow. “You have keys to his house?”

Atem didn’t respond fiddling with them.

“Anything else I need to know?”

“No. This is the last surprise.”

Promise?”

“I promise. No more hiding things. You’re right.”

“I know.” He giggled watching him put the key in the lock. 

Atem opened the door and stepped inside. “Seto?”

Yuugi walked in behind him and almost passed out. Kaiba walked into the kitchen, his back to them. He didn’t have a shirt on, a very tiny face peeking out over a towel laid over his shoulder. He just stared at him until he realized where he was walking to. At the kitchen table was a little girl, around 6 maybe sitting with a banana in her hand, her sister, probably 4, sat in the chair across from her and a little one maybe 3 sat in a highchair kicking her feet. Yuugi stood dumbfounded, while Atem shut the door behind him and walked around him. “Did you get my message?”

Kaiba finally acknowledged them after tossing something in front of the little one in the high chair. He glared at Yuugi storming up to him and put the little one in his arms. Then he glared at Atem. “I’m taking a shower.”

Yuugi blinked watching Kaiba practically run towards the hall. “Wait! How long are you-”

“Until the hot water’s gone!”

Atem snickered and kissed the babies head before walking up to the table. He didn’t say a word but the girls lit up. “Uncle Atem!”

“’Tem!”

Yuugi watched in awe as Atem knelt down at the table and started talking to them, asking about all the trouble they’d caused Kaiba while he was gone. When he said he was helping Kaiba, Yuugi didn’t realize he was helping him with four kids. Did his other self realize that? Looking down at the bundle of cooing, a grin spread across his face. “Oh wow you look just like your dad.” 

He did, bright blue eyes dark tuft of hair at the top of his head blowing spit bubbles and having the time of his life. Rocking him back and forth, Yuugi looked up at Atem, already helping the girls finish dinner and starting on dishes. He slowly walked into the living room and sat in the recliner watching Atem and the girls; taking in the disaster that was the house and how happy Atem was talking to them. 

He loved them.

They cleaned up the kitchen and living room, put the little one down then watched a movie. The girls didn’t make it all the way through. He helped Atem carry them back to bed and tucked them in. Kaiba still hadn’t come out. After another movie, Atem went back to check on him and came back snickering. Apparently Kaiba went to bed. Which was fair. Those girls and the little one were bundles of energy. 

They left, but Yuugi insisted Atem bring him back over the next day.

—

The next day was different. Atem took the girls to daycare leaving him there with Kaiba and the little one alone. Yuugi still hadn’t fully caught their names. Kaiba wasn’t helping with that of course. He had no idea either. He laid the little one down for a nap and walked out of the room, slowly shutting the door. Satisfied he was still sleeping Yuugi went into the living room, but Kaiba wasn’t there. He wasn’t in the kitchen either. Humming to himself he walked back down the hall towards the bedroom. The door was open so he walked in freezing and blushing when he did. He should’ve knocked. 

Kaiba had his back to him luckily but it certainly didn’t help. He was mid pulling up a pair of jeans that fit him almost too perfectly. Considering he’d never seen him in jeans, he didn’t know what else he expected. He hurriedly buckled his belt, searching the ground then rushed towards the closet. Yuugi tried to get his mouth to work but eyes were taking way too much brain power. 

Kaiba grabbed a button up shirt out of the closet, the hanger flying out of it onto the ground. He didn’t pay it a single glance. Instead he slipped it on and adjusted the collar. “So what the hell’s the story with this place? Seems fine to me. Why are we still here?”

He knew he was there? Why was he acting like he wasn’t? Part of him was honored he felt comfortable around him and the other part was disappointed, though he didn’t know why. “It’s not fine. I woke up here trying to make Atem sign divorce papers.”

“Why?”

“Well you know-” Yuugi watched Kaiba grab his wallet off the hutch paying too much attention to him shoving it in his back pocket- “he practically lives here. My other self was a touch jealous.”

“Why?”

“Why do you think Kaiba? That’s a dumb question.”

He humphed and sat down on the bed putting shoes on, his shirt still open drawing his eyes in. “Well, are you?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“If you can’t beat them, join them.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Kaiba got up off the bed and walked up to him, leaning around him to grab his keys off the hook. He didn’t mean to but he took in a breath at the wrong time, catching his scent. “Well uh… It means I can’t fight whatever this is so I’m letting it go.”

Kaiba stepped back and narrowed his eyes. “That reminds me-”

A buzz and chime from the living room made him turn. Kaiba swept past him, finally reaching for the open shirt to button it. Yuugi let out a long breath. His heart felt like it was in his throat, his stomach doing flips. He leaned against the door frame listening to Kaiba talking on the phone to what sounded like a lawyer. 

“Keep him alive till I get back.”

“Heh, thanks for the vote of confidence,” Yuugi said, walking into the living room, but Kaiba was already gone. 

—

Three weeks. Three weeks of practically living there with Atem, taking care of the kids for them so they could get out of the house and go on a date, three weeks of trying to ignore his heart attempting mutiny every time Kaiba smiled when the oldest girl tried to sass him, three weeks of feeling his face light on fire every time Kaiba just took his shirt off when the little one spit up on him. It’s like he was doing it on purpose. He probably was while Atem was there, but he did it regardless. It wasn’t intentional and he knew it, but it felt like it. Three weeks of the jealousy building up to excruciating levels and that’s where he sat the start of that fourth week. 

The little one was being super fussy, waking up periodically through the late night and only wanted Yuugi. He slept on his chest while Kaiba slept on the sofa, Atem laying on his chest a movie playing, highlighting them every now and then. He stared at them, rubbing circles in the little ones back trying to wrangle the strong and numerous emotions making him want to get sick. It gave a whole new reality to sick with jealousy. He thought it was just a saying but that’s how he felt watching them. 

Sick, nauseous and on the verge of tears, out of control. He was out of control. He thought at first he couldn’t do this. He wanted to be happy for them but all he felt was sick. He didn’t feel like this when they were in Ancient Egypt. He didn’t feel like this leading Kaiba and Atem into the hotel in Cairo. He didn’t feel like this talking to Atem when he was trapped in Tea’s body about how much he loved and missed Kaiba. He didn’t feel like this before, why was he feeling it now? 

He couldn’t do it. He thought he could, wanted it to work so bad but he just couldn’t stay in that room a second longer. Standing up quietly he carried the little one back to his room and laid him down, praying he’d sleep because he had to get out. When he didn’t stir, Yuugi practically ran out of there, shut the front door as quietly as he could so he wouldn’t wake them and ran to the car. He took long shaky breaths trying to keep himself together enough to find a nearby bar on his phone. One picked out he started the car and pulled out of the driveway. 

He was so focused on not thinking about anything he almost missed the turn. Luckily the bar wasn’t that far. He shouldn’t be driving like this. He parked the car, realizing he was shaking but tried to ignore it. Waking into the bar, he waved to the bartender and walked towards a table in the corner by the dart boards. He ordered a drink, didn’t remember what he ordered and stared at the center of the target until the waitress came by with it. 

Being out of the house helped and didn’t help at the same time. He kept checking his phone thinking someone would call him. Did they know he left? Would they care if he didn’t come back? Would anyone back home care if he never came back? Did Atem notice he wasn’t there when Kaiba promised him they’d be there? 

The waitress set a short glass on the table and flashed him a smile before disappearing. He took a drink, whiskey. Well that works he supposed. 

All of this was his fault. He should’ve stayed home when Kaiba wanted him to go with him. He should’ve said no. But the problem was before that. So long before that. He never should’ve fallen in love with someone he knew he couldn’t be with. He should be stronger and let him go. He should let him go now so he could be with Kaiba. 

That was worse.

His phone buzzed in front of him, lighting up with Kaiba’s name. He frowned tilting his head and answered it. “Yea-”

“Where the hell are you?”

“I’m at a bar.”

“Why?”

“I need a drink.”

He cleared his throat, suddenly terrified. He never should’ve answered. He sounded just as bad as he felt. Kaiba had to know. He sucked at this! Moving the phone away from his ear, ready to hang up, he realized it wasn’t connected anyway. Well so much for that. Laying his head on the table, he debated getting another drink. 

He shouldn’t be here.

He didn’t deserve to be here.

Even so, he was here and he was trying. He got to see Atem in so many different dimensions, got to see so many new sides of him he’d never seen before. This wasn’t a curse. It was a gift and he felt horrible for regretting having it. He’d never see Atem again if he didn’t go with Kaiba. He shouldn’t regret it. 

Sighing into the table, he grit his teeth. He didn’t regret it. He wanted to see Atem again. He wanted to tell him he loved him, wanted to hear his voice again, wanted to touch him for the first time and wanted to hear him tell him he loved him too and he had all of that. He had what he wanted. He had a taste of what he wanted in so many different worlds. They had something across all of the dimensions. Something more than he had in his. He should feel blessed and honored to see it and to feel it. Why was he miserable?

Footsteps approaching his table made him look up. “Atem?”

He smiled weakly and pulled out the chair next to him. “Kids wear you out?”

“No.”

Atem nodded and sat down sighing. “I think this table should have our names on it.”

“What?”

“You only come here when you’re upset with me. It should have our names on it.”

He blinked. Finding the odd coincidence stupidly comforting. “I’m not upset with you.”

“Then why are you here?”

“I’m… upset with myself.”

“Why?”

He screwed his eyes shut. “I thought I could do this, but I can’t.”

“Do what?”

He vaguely gestured to Atem and sighed. “The whole ‘you and Kaiba’ thing.”

Atem nodded but didn’t say anything. 

He felt awful. He let him down. He told him it was fine. He couldn’t just go back on it now.

“What changed?”

“What?”

“What changed your mind?”

“I have no idea.”

“When did you start feeling like this?”

He had no idea. Frowning at his glass, he tried to think of the moment things changed. When it went from that warm feeling seeing Atem open up and Kaiba relax to this sick pit in his stomach and this fear gripping his chest. “I don’t know. Sometime after your date.”

“Last week?”

“Yeah… I don’t know, maybe before that.”

“I don’t remember anything different happening last week that didn’t happen the two weeks before.”

Yuugi sighed and smiled. “I don’t either.”

“So what’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.”

Atem smirked and leaned on the table brushing his elbow against him. “I think you do. We’re not supposed to be hiding things right?”

He laughed and shook his head. “I’m not hiding anything from you.”

“I think that includes hiding things from yourself.”

“Well then we’re both in trouble.”

Atem laughed and nodded reaching out and taking his hand, brushing his fingers over the back of his hand. “I’ve done some research on how to help us with this. Now that you pointed me in the right direction.”

“I did?”

He nodded. “I thought I was just a horrible husband, and a bad person, but you were right. There’s a lot of people out there doing this too.”

“I told you.”

“And how you’re feeling isn’t new or wrong either. Would you like me to tell you what I found?”

“Yes please. I can’t figure this out. I was fine before. I want you to be happy.”

“Okay, I found that when you feel jealous like this, it’s because you're feeling afraid of something. Try to think about it. What are you afraid of?”

Yuugi sighed and did that, tried to think, laying his head down on his arm. “I’m afraid I’m not good enough for you.”

“I’m afraid you’re too good for me. I told you’ I love you, I married you, and you won’t lose me.”

“I’m not afraid of losing you, I’m afraid of taking you from something better. I’m afraid of holding you back.” He took a deep long breath and sighed, “I’m afraid of being forgotten.”

“I can’t forget you,” Atem said and laid his head down on the table meeting his eyes. “I take your love with me everywhere I go. And there is no better you out there.”

“Kaiba is better.”

“Seto is himself. He’s not better or worse than you to me. He is not you.”

“He fought for you. I tried to let you go.”

Atem’s grin widened and he started to laugh. “I’m sorry. I’m not making fun of you, I just-” He licked his lips and sighed. “That’s not how love works.”

“What?”

“I love that Seto fights for me. I also hate it. Just like I love that you do what you think is best for me and I hate it too.”

“Why?”

“The ends don’t justify the means sometimes, Seto does NOT know that.”

Not even a little bit. He could write novels about how Kaiba skipped life on the day that subject was taught.

“And you do what you think is best for me, which isn’t what I want or need. With both of you, I love it because it’s the thought that counts. It comes from the same place. You love me, and that’s one of the biggest ways I see it. It’s still infuriating.”

He laughed, soft at first then picked up. Is that really what his Atem thought of it? “Wow… you just made that sound completely stupid.”

Atem’s smile vanished and he started to sit up. “I’m sorry.”

“No, no, no, don’t be sorry. I’ve been so upset about that for so long and you just made it sound like the smallest problem in the world.”

“It is a small, but constant problem. You’re lucky I love you.” He squeezed his hand. “Do you feel better?”

“Yeah. I really do. Thank you.”

Atem beamed. “Do you still think you can’t do this?”

Thinking of the house, of watching them sleep brought some of the horrible feeling back, but not nearly as bad as before. Talking to Atem helped. There was still something else. “I could before.”

“You did. I’m really proud of you.”

“Thank you.” 

“Thank you. I told you. I don’t deserve you.”

“If I’m not allowed to say stuff like that, you’re not either.”

Atem laughed. “What else is bothering you? Is it Seto?”

Yuugi furrowed his brow. “I- I don’t know.”

“Are you sure?”

“Are you using my tactics against me?”

“Yes. I really am.”

“Okay wise guy. What’s the problem then?”

“I think you like Seto.”

No he didn’t… did he? “He’s my friend.”

“Friend. Sure. Friend you ogle?”

His stomach flipped and his face burned, but he refused to move. “I do not!”

“We’re not supposed to be lying.”

“I- I don’t mean to. Is it really that obvious?”

“It is to me. Is that why you’re upset? You’re jealous because you like him too?”

“I don’t. I didn't. I mean you-” He hated it, but that seemed to hit the nail on the head. “Yeah I guess so.”

“That’s an easy problem to fix.”

“Ha! Right. I could mail myself to Tibet.”

Atem laughed and squeezed his hand, brushing his hair behind his ear. “Just tell him how you feel.”

“I’d rather die.”

“It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Yes it is. He doesn’t like me like that. I’m not sure he likes me like anything.”

“You said he’s your friend.”

“He doesn’t see me as a friend. He sees me as an inconvenience. I’m pretty sure I’m more along the lines of one wrong move and he’d hate my guts.”

“He wouldn’t let you be around the kids if he didn’t like you.”

Maybe in this dimension. That being said, Kaiba wouldn’t have let him around the kids in this dimension if it was him. He wouldn’t want the husband of the guy he was after in his house. This all happened because they were interfering. What would happen when they left? Poor Atem. What if things went back to the way they were before? This wasn’t fair to him. 

“You should talk to him about how you’re feeling. It’ll only get worse if you don’t.”

“Yeah.”

“Until you feel up to it, we’ll stay home tomorrow okay? I think you could use a break. We’ve been there every day for a month almost.”

“Yeah. That might help.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Thank you.”

Atem smiled and kissed his forehead. “You have no idea how much it means to me that you’re doing this with me.”

“Ditto.”

Atem laughed and sat up, reaching into his pocket for his wallet. “Want another drink?”

“That sounds great.”

“Same thing?”

“No. I want something with an umbrella in it.”

Atem laughed looking up at the waitress as she walked up to the table. Yuugi smiled watching him rattle off two drinks and thank her. This dimension should feel like a vacation, but no. He had to mess it up with… emotions are hard.

—

Kaiba opened the front door, quirking a brow at what he saw. Atem held Yuugi in his arms, asleep it appeared. At first he was concerned but Atem wasn’t upset, instead he smirked. “Are you going to move?”

He stepped back and let him in, shutting the door behind him. “What happened?”

“He’s tired.”

“Clearly.” He frowned watching Atem carrying him past the sofa. “What are you doing?”

“Taking him to bed.”

“That’s not your bed.”

Atem ignored him, disappearing down the hall. He followed Atem back down the hall glancing in the bedrooms. Still asleep. Hopefully it'll stay that way for once. When he walked into the dark bedroom, Yuugi laid in the middle of the bed asleep with Atem at his side watching him. He glanced up and smiled. “They still asleep?”

“Yes. Everyone who doesn’t need it.”

He snickered softly. “You’ll deal. I’ve been here more this month than the whole time since you’ve been back.”

He crossed the room and climbed into the bed laying down on his pillow. At least Atem didn’t lay Yuugi on his pillow. “I suppose I should be thanking you.”

“That would be nice.”

He humphed. That’s all he was going to get.

Atem brushed his hands through Yuugi’s hair and sighed, a smile still on his lips. 

He waited, watching him card his hands through Yuugi’s hair just watching him sleep, getting more and more frustrated. He was going to make him ask wasn’t he? Fine. “What was the problem?”

“How do you know there was one?”

“He sounded upset on the phone.”

“Are you sure he wasn’t just tired?”

“I’m not playing your games.”

Atem looked up, smirking. “He was jealous.”

“Of what? That we got sleep and he didn’t?” As soon as he said that he hummed. “I take that back. That would be a real reason.”

Atem’s smirk changed before his eyes, warm and fond, tilting his head so he could see him better. “No.”

“Then what?”

Atem glanced down at Yuugi, lifting up to see him better, then laid down. “He’s jealous of me.”

“I don’t understand.”

Atem whispered so soft he was positive he didn’t hear him right. “He has feelings for you too.”

“You’re imagining things.”

“He’s been here for you all month. How am I imagining things?”

That’s because he had to. He was trying to buy Atem time, but he couldn’t say that. “Where else would he be? You’re here. I think you’re reading too far into things.”

“Am I? Actually pay attention to him. You’ll see I’m not wrong.”

“I do pay attention to him.”

“No. You are so focused on what you’re doing and where you’re trying to go, you don’t see him. Try it sometime. It’s worth it.”

“You married him. You’re not a good judge of that.”

“I’m the perfect judge of that. I can see it.”

He humped, frowning at Atem as he curled around Yuugi and closed his eyes. Yuugi did not like him like that. He treated him like he did any of his other friends despite Kaiba’s best efforts to get rid of him. The only reason he wasn’t getting rid of him right now was they needed to stay together to get back home. Atem had no idea what he was talking about.

That didn’t make sleep come any sooner, and certainly didn’t help him get anymore comfortable on the bed. He didn’t notice the edge like he did on the small twin bed in the dimension before. He was just as warm and physically comfortable laying there in the dark watching them sleep, though he was anything but relaxed. 

At first he was concerned that knowing that, or suspecting that made him uncomfortable to be around Yuugi but that wasn’t it. At some point in the night, Yuugi rolled over facing him and pressed his forehead into his neck. His whole body locked up, far more uncomfortable and anxious than he already was, too warm.

He fell asleep debating on whether to push him away or not. 

—

The rest of the week Yuugi stayed home while Atem went over to help Kaiba with the kids. He kept planning to go over there, he couldn’t avoid him forever, but he’d chicken out at the door… every time. He spent that week cleaning and preparing an envelope for this dimension’s self. It had a letter to himself, printed off copies of articles that Atem found on the Internet and a paper that said stop being an idiot you don’t know how good you have it over and over from top to bottom. Hopefully that would help. 

The front door opened and Yuugi looked up from the kitchen table wondering why Atem was home early. “Oh.”

Kaiba strode through the small living room into the kitchen, stopping at the separation of tile and carpet. “What the hell are you doing?”

He lifted his shoulders and looked down at the manila envelope in his hands. “Making sure Atem’s happy.”

“So you’re finally ready to leave?”

“Yeah. Are you?”

“I was ready the morning I woke up to screaming.”

Yuugi laughed and looked up. “Ah huh. You love those kids. They’re adorable.”

“They’re not my kids.”

“So you’re trying to tell me you didn’t say goodbye to them?”

Kaiba scowled and stomped through the kitchen behind him, but not before he got a good look at a growing blush on his face. His heart skipped a beat and he laughed, feeling Kaiba lean into him, pressing his chest to Yuugi’s back, but his smile quickly vanished as the table shimmered with gold. It wasn’t like the time before. Kaiba was ridged, hands laid out on either side of him on the table, almost like he was trying not to touch him. The realization that Atem told him stabbed him in the gut. It was like he feared. Kaiba didn’t like him like that and now it was worse.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> PS.  
> I will attempt to post a chapter a day in the month of August to keep up with the challenge and theme HOWEVER I have another obligation in August, YGO BB, and I can't wait to share that with you as well. Keep your eyes peeled! <3


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